At least 13 people were killed and seven others injured when a landslide struck an unlicensed open-pit gold mine near Policarpa, in Colombia's southern Nariño province, on Wednesday, 19 August 2026, according to local officials. Rescue teams used heavy machinery to pull bodies from the debris, and emergency workers said all previously missing miners had been accounted for by the early hours of the following morning.
According to , search operations wrapped up around 2 a.m. once every missing worker had been located, and officials clarified that the collapse resulted from a landslide rather than an explosion, as some witnesses had initially believed.
What caused the collapse?
Witnesses at the scene reported hearing a sound resembling an explosion shortly before the ground gave way, trapping workers below. However, a local government secretary, Fredy Gamez, told Caracol Radio that the collapse was tied directly to mining activity on the slope.
due to the activity taking place in the mine, a slope collapsed onto the people
similarly reported that authorities linked the accident to work being carried out on the hillside at the open-pit site, rather than to any blast.
Where exactly did the accident happen, and who were the victims?
Local media, including El Confidencial, reported that the mine was located in the village of Puerto Rico, within Policarpa municipality, and that injured workers were transported to nearby hospitals for treatment. Witnesses said four of the 13 people killed belonged to a single indigenous family. Residents said around 50 people, most from the Quillacinga indigenous community, regularly worked at the mine.
Reporting from Infobae indicated that the initial toll given by authorities was lower — four dead, seven injured and eight missing — before the confirmed death toll rose to 13 as search efforts continued.
How common are accidents like this in Colombia?
Fatal incidents at unregulated mining sites are a persistent problem in Colombia, where oversight is limited and safety standards are often absent. noted that such unlicensed operations remain a recurring source of deadly accidents nationwide. Separate reporting cited by AFP described the mine as illegal and said the collapse occurred while work was underway inside it, underscoring the risks tied to informal gold extraction in the region.
Between 200,000 and 400,000 people are estimated to work in artisanal mining across Colombia, many relying on the sale of gold and other precious materials to support their families.
Key Facts
- At least 13 workers were killed and seven injured in the landslide near Policarpa, Nariño province.
- The site was an unlicensed open-pit gold mine, reportedly located in the village of Puerto Rico.
- Officials attributed the collapse to mining activity on the slope rather than an explosion, despite witness accounts of an explosion-like sound.
- Four of the dead belonged to the same indigenous family; around 50 people, mostly Quillacinga community members, regularly worked at the site.
- Colombia has an estimated 200,000 to 400,000 artisanal miners nationwide.
