At least 8 killed as landslide hits Burkina Faso artisanal mining site

A landslide has hit an artisanal mining site in Burkina Faso, killing at least eight people and injuring three others, local media reports.

The landslide struck the gold mine in Kari village, some 230 km west of the capital Ouagadougou, early Monday morning.

So far seven bodies have been recovered, according to survivors of the tragedy.

No further information was immediately available.

In May 2014, a landslide killed eight people and injured three others at the same artisanal mining site after heavy rains.

Unauthorized artisanal gold mining has grown over the last decade in Burkina Faso, a country that is emerging as a major gold producer in Africa.

Official figures show about 1.2 million people work in small-scale gold mining sites all across the West African country.

Gold production contributed over 12 percent to Burkina Faso's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Endit