14 dead after a gold mine collapse in El Callao, Bolívar, Venezuela
Torrential rainfall on October 12, 2025, caused severe flooding and a collapse at the Cuatro Esquinas de Caratal gold-mining site in El Callao municipality, Bolívar State, eastern Venezuela. At least 14 miners died after water inundated three vertical shafts, while two others escaped unharmed. Recovery operations were coordinated by the Operational Zones for Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis (ZOEDAN) in Bolívar State.
Mine collapse in Venezuela claims 14 lives on October 12, 2025. Credit: Zoedanbolivar
Heavy rainfall across eastern Venezuela on October 12 triggered severe flooding in the El Callao municipality, Bolívar State, leading to a fatal collapse at the Cuatro Esquinas de Caratal gold-mining area. The event occurred after several hours of continuous precipitation that caused mine shafts to rapidly fill with water and debris.
According to ZOEDAN Bolívar, at least 14 miners lost their lives when three vertical shafts became inundated. The agency established a command post at the site to coordinate recovery and drainage operations.
Two miners managed to reach the surface alive and received immediate medical attention. The total number of miners working underground at the time of the collapse remains uncertain.
The deaths occurred in three different shafts of the Cuatro Esquinas de Caratal mine, in the town of El Callao, about 850 km (528 miles) southeast of Caracas, the agency reported on its Instagram account.
Surviving miners said that the collapse occurred after four hours of continuous rainfall, which caused what looked like a water volcano to erupt and flood the shaft.
Local reports said the flooded shafts were approximately 30–40 m (98–131 feet) deep.
Local authorities continued to pump water out of the mine shafts for the fourth day on August 16, as recovery efforts continued. A three-day mourning period was locally declared for the victims.
Venezuela has deposits of copper, diamonds, and other precious minerals, but unsafe working conditions are common in a poorly regulated industry.
El Callao has a population of around 30 000, and has been a gold-mining hub since 1853, when the precious metal was first discovered there. Most of the city’s residents are directly or indirectly involved in the trade.
Artisanal and small-scale mining is widespread across this region. Previous incidents in the area have been linked to illegal mining operations and unstable soil conditions worsened by heavy rainfall.
I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.
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