The death toll from Monday's gold mine collapse in southwestern Colombia's Narino department rose to 14, with seven others injured, including four seriously, a local official said Monday.
The collapse occurred at an open-pit gold mine along the Iscuande River in the municipality of Santa Barbara de Iscuande, on Colombia's Pacific coast.
Alex Gonzalez, Narino's secretary of peace and human rights, told Noticias Caracol that 13 bodies had been recovered in Santa Barbara de Iscuande, while another victim's body was in the neighboring municipality of Guapi, in Cauca department.
"So far, there are 14 confirmed deaths. Thirteen bodies have been recovered in the town of Santa Barbara de Iscuande, and one body is in the municipality of Guapi. In addition, seven people are injured," Gonzalez said.
Four of the injured were in serious condition, prompting the Narino Governor's Office to coordinate with the Colombian Army's Third Division to arrange their evacuation by air to Tumaco for medical treatment.
Gonzalez said the accident occurred when a section of the open-pit mine collapsed, burying workers at the site.
UN Human Rights Colombia on Tuesday urged authorities involved in the National Disaster Risk Management System to take action to support the injured and affected families.
"We urge the State to implement all necessary prevention actions, through territorial transformation measures and investigation and sanctioning of these illegal activities in the territories, which are affecting the people who are forced to work in those spaces without any kind of guarantees, in addition to causing harm to the environment and the health of the communities," the organization said on US social media platform X.
The mine is located within the territory of the Iscuande River Basin Community Council.
Initial reports put the death toll at nine, but the figure rose to 14 as rescue efforts continued.
Gonzalez said search operations concluded, with no additional people reported missing.
