The accident occurred Tuesday afternoon at the Bulla Loca mine in the southern state of Bolivar. Several dozen people were working in this open-air quarry when an avalanche was triggered, burying several miners.
The injured were taken to a hospital in the state capital, Ciudad Bolvar, about four hours from the mine. Some 200 people worked at the mine, where some 200 people were injured, according to government estimates.. A relief and rescue team also traveled to the area from Caracas to support search efforts.