At least 13 people were killed and seven more injured in a landslide at an illegal gold mine in Colombia on Wednesday night, local authorities have confirmed.
A government source told the AFP news agency that the landslide at the mine in Policarpa in the country's southwestern Narino region was triggered by "improper extraction" of ore which undermined the mine's base and triggered a collapse.
"Due to the activity taking place in the mine, a slope collapsed onto the people," regional government secretary Fredy Gamez told local radio.
Local authorities ruled out the initial theory that the collapse was caused by an explosion — although this is a common occurance.
Rescue efforts involving firefighters, excavators and local residents continued until about 2 a.m. on Thursday morning when it was confirmed that all those missing had been located.
