A sinkhole swallowed a classroom, injuring 17 students.

At least 17 primary school children were injured in Zimbabwe when a massive sinkhole, believed to be caused by mining, swallowed a classroom. According to reports, one child was seriously injured, while others are being treated in hospitals for minor scrapes. Local authorities have blamed the incident at Globe and City School in Kwekwe's central city on uncontrolled mining. There are two gold mines nearby, and the school administration has previously complained about illegal mining beneath the facility. Social media photos show the sinkhole filled with desks, benches, and school bags. Local lawmaker Judith Tobaiwa, who visited the school after the incident, told AFP that 17 students aged 10 to 11 were injured, one seriously. 'They are still blasting, and the entire school premises is shaking,' she said of the miners.

'It's not long ago I recommended immediate action after visiting the school and noticing the signs,' she wrote on Twitter, posting photos of the scene. It is critical that authorities pay attention.' Provincial Affairs Minister Larry Mavima said the school had been ordered closed and that authorities were working to find alternative placements for its students. 'As a government, we are shocked and disappointed that the miners did not take the necessary precautions to secure the area in order to prevent such an accident,' he said. He went on to say that an investigation had been launched to determine what happened and who was to blame. According to News24.com, the landlocked southern African country has vast gold reserves, with gold accounting for one-third of all exports in May of last year. In Zimbabwe, there are hundreds of thousands of small-scale, informal miners, many of whom work illegally.

By Covenantblog