LUSAKA (Reuters) - Ten people were killed and another 10 injured when a Zambian dump for copper mining waste collapsed on Wednesday, police said.

Informal “artisanal” miners have taken to re-excavating copper and other metals from the Black Mountain waste site in the town of Kitwe in Zambia’s Copperbelt Province.

In February the government’s mining investment arm gave a 10 percent stake in Black Mountain to such small-scale miners.

“The incident happened this morning and at least 10 people have been confirmed dead,” Copperbelt police chief Charity Katanga said by phone from Kitwe, 400 km (250 miles) north of the capital Lusaka.

The main opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) said the deaths could have been avoided.

“This was a disaster waiting to happen. A lot of people have expressed concern about poor safety at the site but the minister of mines insisted it was safe,” said UPND spokesman Charles Kakoma.

The government said it would investigate the incident.

“It’s premature and unhelpful at this stage to apportion blame. The president (Edgar Lungu) has sent the minister of mines to get to the ground and establish what happened and ensure enhanced safety measures,” presidential spokesman Amos Chanda said.

Zambia is Africa’s second largest copper producer. Poverty fuels small-scale and illegal mining and enforcement of safety standards is poor.

Global mining companies including First Quantum Minerals, Vedanta, Barrick Gold Corp and Glencore operate in the country. </s> At least 17 people were killed and several others were injured when a massive garbage mound partially collapsed in Mozambique’s capital Monday after heavy rains fell on Maputo, local media reported.

Rescue workers believe there may be more bodies buried in the garbage dump wreckage located in an impoverished neighborhood of Hulene, Radio Mocambique reported.

Five houses were buried by the natural disaster thus far, while many families have fled their homes for fear of another collapse.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. </s> Mozambican media say at least 17 people died when heavy rains triggered the partial collapse of a huge mound of garbage in Mozambique's capital, Maputo.

Radio Mocambique reported Monday that rescue workers believe more bodies could be buried in the debris at the Hulene garbage dump.

It said five houses were buried in the disaster and that some families in the area have fled their homes for fear of another collapse. </s> JOHANNESBURG: South African police said Thursday that five people had died after trespassing into a disused mine, with local media reporting the deaths were caused by a gas explosion.

At least 20 people are believed to be still trapped underground at the Gloria coal mine near the town of Middelburg in the eastern province of Mpumalanga after entering the shafts to try to steal cables.

"So far we have five killed," police spokesman Leonard Hlathi told AFP, saying he had no number of those trapped.

State broadcaster SABC said experts had launched a rescue operation to search for more than 20 people trapped underground.

It added that the group went underground to steal copper cables in the mine, which has been closed for several months.

Police said the group went into the mine between Sunday and Wednesday, and that rescue efforts were being hampered by unsafe conditions and a lack of ventilation.

The body of one person who died was taken out on Wednesday and the other four bodies were recovered on Thursday. </s> Johannesburg - Heavy rains triggered the partial collapse of a huge mound of garbage in Mozambique's capital on Monday, killing as many as 17 people who were buried by debris.

Authorities believe more bodies could be buried at the Hulene garbage dump on the outskirts of Maputo, and a search was underway. The garbage in the poor, densely populated area where the disaster happened rose to the height of a three-story building, according to the Portuguese news agency Lusa.

Twelve people died, Lusa reported. Radio Mocambique put the death toll at 17. Half a dozen homes were destroyed and some residents in the area fled for fear of another collapse.

"The mountains of garbage collapsed on the houses and many families were still inside these residences," Fatima Belchoir, a national disaster official, told Lusa. Authorities are trying to help people who lost their homes, she said.

The Hulene garbage dump is the largest such facility in Maputo. People often comb through the garbage, searching for food and items to sell.

Health workers have long raised concerns about the impact of the fumes, flies and other hazards of the dump on the surrounding community. Municipal officials have previously discussed the closure of the dump.

KEEP UPDATED on the latest news from around the continent by subscribing to our FREE newsletter, Hello Africa. </s> JOHANNESBURG: Five people have been killed by a gas explosion in an unused coal mine in South Africa`s eastern province of Mpumalanga and several others remain trapped, police said on Thursday.

 State broadcaster SABC said about 20 people were still stuck underground at the mine in Middleburg.

Rescue efforts were hampered by dangerously high levels of toxic gas underground, SABC said. The mine is owned by Tegeta Resources and Exploration, which is undergoing creditor protection after its owners, the Gupta brothers, found it difficult to continue doing business in South Africa following corruption allegations against them.

Several people had entered the mine on Wednesday afternoon to steal copper wires that supply electricity for lighting and ventilation when a gas pipe exploded, police spokesman Leonard Hlati said.

 "The mine is wired with copper. They were going for copper," Hlati said.

Copper is often stolen from disused mines in South Africa and sold for scrap. The Gupta brothers, their lawyers and officials from their firms and family representatives could not be reached for comment about the mine incident.

The brothers - who headed what was one of the country`s biggest conglomerates - were accused of unduly influencing former president Jacob Zuma over political appointments and winning contracts.

 Zuma and the Guptas deny any wrongdoing. </s> Heavy rains triggered the partial collapse of a huge mound of garbage in Mozambique's capital overnight, killing 17 people who were buried by debris.

Rescuers search for survivors at the collapse of a garbage mound in Maputo, Mozambique.

Authorities believe more bodies could be buried at the Hulene garbage dump on the outskirts of Maputo, and a search was underway.

The garbage in the poor, densely populated area where the disaster happened rose to the height of a three-story building, according to the Portuguese news agency Lusa.

Lusa and Radio Mocambique both reported 17 deaths. Half a dozen homes were destroyed and some residents in the area fled for fear of another collapse.

"The mountains of garbage collapsed on the houses and many families were still inside these residences," Fatima Belchoir, a national disaster official, told Lusa. Authorities are trying to help people who lost their homes, she said.

The Hulene garbage dump is the largest such facility in Maputo. People often comb through the garbage, searching for food and items to sell.

Health workers have long raised concerns about the impact of the fumes, flies and other hazards of the dump on the surrounding community. Municipal officials have previously discussed the closure of the dump. </s> BHUBANESWAR, India: At least five Indian miners were killed and nearly two dozen trapped when mine waste collapsed at a mine run by state-owned Coal India Limited, police said on Friday. Several vehicles working at the mine were also trapped in the accident in Jharkhand state on Thursday evening at the Lalmatia mines owned by Eastern Coalfields Limited , a subsidiary of the world's largest miner.

Start the conversation, or Read more at Channelnewsasia.com. </s> Rescuers recover a body as they search for survivors at the collapse of a garbage mound in Maputo, Mozambique, Monday, Feb. 19, 2018. Mozambican media say at least 17 people died when heavy rains triggered the partial collapse of the mound garbage. (AP Photo/Ferhat Momade)

JOHANNESBURG — Heavy rains triggered the partial collapse of a huge mound of garbage in Mozambique's capital on Monday, killing as many as 17 people who were buried by debris.

Authorities believe more bodies could be buried at the Hulene garbage dump on the outskirts of Maputo, and a search was underway. The garbage in the poor, densely populated area where the disaster happened rose to the height of a three-story building, according to the Portuguese news agency Lusa.

Twelve people died, Lusa reported. Radio Mocambique put the death toll at 17. Half a dozen homes were destroyed and some residents in the area fled for fear of another collapse.

"The mountains of garbage collapsed on the houses and many families were still inside these residences," Fatima Belchoir, a national disaster official, told Lusa. Authorities are trying to help people who lost their homes, she said.

The Hulene garbage dump is the largest such facility in Maputo. People often comb through the garbage, searching for food and items to sell.

Health workers have long raised concerns about the impact of the fumes, flies and other hazards of the dump on the surrounding community. Municipal officials have previously discussed the closure of the dump.
A pile of mining waste collapses in the Copperbelt Province of Zambia, killing ten people and injuring ten more.