CNN —Dozens are feared to be dead after an illegal gold mine in the Venezuelan town of La Paragua collapsed, according to the town’s mayor Yorgi Arciniega.
The mayor estimates dozens of people have been killed, and more are still trapped in the collapsed mine.
Egar Colina, a security official in the Bolivar state government, urged caution and said more state officials were trying to reach La Paragua to update the death toll.
Bolivar is a forest-covered region that has long been affected by illegal mining for gold and other minerals.
La Paragua is less than 40 miles from the park’s borders.
Persons:
Yorgi Arciniega, Arciniega, Egar
Organizations:
CNN, CNN en Espanol, . Relief
Locations:
Venezuelan, La Paragua, Bolivar, Venezuela, Brazil