38 miners feared dead in two Zimbabwe mine floods

Feb. 14 (UPI) -- Thirty-eight miners are feared dead after water from a collapsed dam flooded two mines in Zimbabwe.

While panning for gold, 34 miners went underground at Silver Moon Mine and four miners entered Cricket Mine in Battlefields near Kadoma Tuesday evening before both mines flooded, according to state media

Heavy rains overnight Tuesday led to the collapse of the dam wall. An emergency was declared after the dam burst.

The flooding from the collapsed dam flooded mine shafts, which the miners entered illegally.

Emergency services activated a rescue mission Wednesday, but Mashonaland West police said water levels were still rising, leading to fear that the rescue mission has now become a recovery mission.

"We have the Civil Protection Unit on the ground leading the rescue and recovery effort, but before that can begin the water must be drained out first," said Inspector Clemence Mabweazara, the provincial police spokesman. "This requires heavy duty pumps because we are still seeing the water levels rising."