12 killed, five injured as marble mine caves in KP

PESHAWAR: At least 12 workers were killed and five others injured in a rockslide at a marble mine in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Mohmand tribal district on Monday.

According to sources, the incident occurred as a heavy boulder fell on workers at a marble mine located at Ziarat Ghar mountain in Safi tehsil of Mohmand.

Police said more people were feared to be trapped under the debris. Besides search and rescue tools, heavy machinery and ambulances were taking part in the operation, police said.

Rescue 1122 said 12 bodies and five injured were pulled out from under the rubble and shifted to Ghalanai Hospital.

Sources said that at least 25 people were missing after the rockslide. The remote area does not have mobile and internet coverage, sources added.

Rescue 1122 said its Mohmand team was carrying out a search operation to find the missing workers, adding that additional personnel had been sent to the area from Peshawar and Charsadda.

KP Chief Minister Mehmood Khan, taking notice of the incident, directed officials to visit the site at the earliest.

“We stand with the affected families in this hour of grief,” he said in a statement.

The chief minister also directed the officials concerned to expedite the rescue efforts and use all resources available to ensure the swift recovery of those still trapped in the rubble.

In February, nine workers were killed and seven others injured in a marble mine slide in KP’s Buner district.