View of the Bulla Loca illegal gold mine in Bolivar state after the tragedy that took the lives of 16 miners. Photo: Union Radio.
The President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, spoke about the tragedy at the Bulla Loca gold mine, near La Paragua, Bolívar state, after the landslide that he clarified left 15 dead and 11 injured so far.
During a working meeting with agro-producers, the Venezuelan leader explained that the situation was caused by a massive hole that collapsed. The illegal mine had a depth of 30 meters and was 100 meters long.
During the activity, President Maduro took the opportunity to rectify the mayor of the Angostura municipality, Yordi Arciniegas, who earlier misrepresented the figures of those affected by the collapse of the mine.
Maduro warned about unconfirmed international news that speaks of 30 dead and 100 missing. He insisted that the official figure was given by the governor of the state Bolívar Ángel Marcano, who reported that the balance of the accident was 15 deaths.
The Venezuelan president added that although it is an illegal mine, the relatives and those affected by the accident will have the support of the national government. So he ordered the entire Civil Protection (PC) team to go to the scene.
Likewise, he explained that although the area is very inaccessible and has connection problems, the rescue teams “are already on site.”
“We are going to reinforce the rescue phases and the families of those miners can know that they have all the support, personal, social, economic, and human,” said the head of state.
As part of the rescue operations, they set up tents to offer pre-hospital care to the people who were rescued. Civil Protection also sent medical teams and ambulances to transport the victims. Additionally, rescue and reconnaissance helicopters were deployed to the area.
Earlier, the Vice Minister for Risk Management and Civil Protection Carlos Pérez Ampueda announced that they were attending to the victims of the landslide and collapse of the “Bulla Loca” mine. On Thursday afternoon, a change in the number of victims was reported with one new deceased.
(RedRadioVE) by Ana Perdigón with Orinoco Tribune content
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/DZ
