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Mine Landslide in Ecuador Kills Two

From El Comercio · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • A landslide at the Los Cañares mine in Ecuador's Zamora Chinchipe province killed two people.
  • The incident occurred early Tuesday morning, trapping workers and machinery.
  • Rescue operations are ongoing, with heavy machinery being used to clear debris, but unstable terrain complicates efforts.

Two people died in a landslide at the Los Cañares mine in Ecuador's Zamora Chinchipe province. The collapse occurred around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday in the canton of Zamora, specifically in the San Carlos de las Minas parish. The landslide buried workers and mining equipment. Emergency services and local workers immediately mobilized to the site, initiating search and rescue operations. Two bodies have been recovered so far, and efforts continue amidst challenging conditions. The terrain remains unstable, complicating the removal of debris and the search for any further victims. The exact cause of the landslide has yet to be determined. Videos circulating on social media show heavy machinery, including tractors, being used to clear the vast amounts of material displaced by the collapse. Families and workers are present at the scene, assisting in the recovery efforts and calling for additional support.

DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Comercio in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.