Rwanda National Police

Police reminds miners and owners of mining concessions to take safety measures especially in this rainy period, to prevent disasters.

The call follows an incident on Sunday when two people died in a stone quarry in Akababyeyi Village, Ayabaraya Cell of Masaka Sector in Kicukiro District.

The deceased were at the time excavating stones when they hit a weak end tilting the supporting stones causing landslides.

Police identified the victims as Habimana Ezechiel, 37, and Alex Nshimyumuremyi, 37.

“It is risky when mining in rainy season; it requires extra care to prevent tilting weak cliffs and loss of lives,” Supt. Hitayezu said.

“This stone quarry, for example, had one way, and the stones that were supporting the upper cliff were tampered with, which made it to curve in,” he said.

He warned against illegal mining, one of the major activities that cause disasters, and urged owners of concessions to ensure security of their sites to prevent unlawful acts especially at night that are risky and deadly.