Floods Sweep through Tanzanite Mines; More than 70 Feared Dead

At least 70 people, and possibly more than 80, are feared dead in northern Tanzania after torrential rains caused flooding at the Mererani tanzanite mines Saturday. Although police said that six bodies have been recovered, there were 87 people underground at the time of the flood, according to mine owners.  

The Manyara regional commissioner, Henry Shekifu, told AFP that, although similar cases of flooding have occurred in the past, this case is much worse due to the amount of people missing and feared dead.

One surviving miner said that it began raining at two o’clock and that he managed to get out only at three. “I know there is no hope of finding anybody alive. We will just look for the bodies to give them a decent burial.”

Ami Mpungwe, deputy chairman of mining company Tanzanite One Ltd, told Bloomberg that the victims working underground were all small-scale artisanal miners, although he noted that all his employees were accounted for.

Executive Secretary of the Tanzania Chamber of Mines Emmanuel Jengo added that the miners were mostly “very young people between the ages of 15 and 26.”

Rescue efforts and communication were hampered by unrelenting rains, and a lack of equipment at the mining site. District Chief Khalid Mandia commented, “The (search) operation will continue but mining activity has been suspended.”

Tanzania is sole producer of tanzanite, which was discovered there by Maasai tribe members in 1967.