A 53-year-old woman and her grandchild died after a gold mine collapsed on them in Kasungu District, while her 20-year-old son survived with injuries.
The incident happened on Monday in Makwenje Village, under Senior Chief Simlemba, where the family had gone to mine gold.
The victims were taken to Simlemba Health Centre, where medical personnel confirmed the deaths of the woman, identified as Tisela Banda, and her grandchild. Her son, Christopher Banda, was referred to Kasungu District Hospital for further treatment.
Senior Chief Simlemba said Tisela was mining gold when Christopher and the grandchild followed her into the pit, which collapsed while all three were inside.
The traditional leader said he is deeply saddened by the deaths, attributing the continued involvement of people in dangerous gold mining activities partly to poverty.
He urged those mining gold without authorisation to stop, warning that the practice puts human lives and the environment at risk.
However, the chief also blamed the continued illegal mining on the presence of buyers willing to purchase gold regardless of the dangerous conditions under which it is extracted.
Meanwhile, police and officials from Kasungu District Council have yet to comment on the incident.
By: Ben Bongololo