A classroom collapsed Thursday in Zimbabwe, injuring at least 17 students, authorities said, blaming the accident on illegal mining activities.
The primary school in Kwekwe, a town about 200 km southwest of the capital Harare, is located near two gold mines.
The school management had complained in the past about illegal mining activities under the establishment.
A " seriously injured
" girl
was hospitalized, local official Judith Tobaiwa told AFP.
Photos posted on social networks show a gaping hole in the middle of the floor in the classroom, through which desks, chairs and schoolbags have disappeared.
Seventeen students aged 10 to 11 were injured, according to Ms. Tobaiwa.
“
They are still blasting and the whole school is shaking
,” she added in a telephone conversation from the scene of the accident.
Provincial Affairs Minister Larry Mavima said authorities had ordered the school closed and were trying to find an alternative for students.
“
We are very shocked by this accident and disappointed that the miners did not take the necessary measures to secure the area
,” he added, specifying that an investigation will have to determine the responsibilities.
Vast reserves
The subsoil of Zimbabwe, a landlocked country in southern Africa, conceals vast reserves of gold.
The sector has attracted hundreds of thousands of informal miners who often operate illegally.
In 2020, a report by the International Crisis Group (ICG) think tank, estimated that 1.5 million people had turned to artisanal mining due to economic hardship.
Accidents are relatively common in disused mines, especially when the basement is flooded with rainwater.
