Sep. 12 (EUROPA PRESS) –
At least three people have died after a dam at the abandoned Jagersfontein diamond mine in central South Africa collapsed on Sunday.
The emergency services have moved to the scene to evacuate the neighbors, of which there are several – a number not detailed – who are missing. Homes have been razed to the ground and there is no electricity or drinking water. A local church has opened its doors for the refuge of residents who need a place to spend the night, as reported by the South African portal IOL.
The mine, located in the Free State province, previously owned by De Beers Plc, was closed in the 1970s, the Bloomberg agency reported. The dumps and sludge from the mine still “belong” to De Beers and government access has been restricted by court order, Department of Mineral Resources and Energy spokesman Nathi Shabangu said.
Minerals Council South Africa, a mining industry lobby, said in a statement that the cause of the dam collapse is unknown. “The causes of the collapse of the dam (…) at this time are unknown. The loss of life and injuries suffered by the deluge of the collapsed dam, as well as the damage to homes and infrastructure, is a tragedy,” the letter reads. .
The lobby has offered its help to the government, despite claiming that “Jagersfontein’s assets do not currently belong to any of its members and it has no information on the ownership structure or management standard of the landfills.”
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