Migori County emergency teams are at Osiri Matanda gold mining village in Nyatike, where several residential and commercial buildings collapsed into underground mining shafts.
The incident occurred shortly before midnight after the ground reportedly gave way beneath buildings in the mining area.
Migori County Government Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Natural Resources CEC Member Edwin Omondi said the county’s Disaster Management team was at Matanda Mines in Macalder, Nyatike Sub-County, responding to the cave-in.
“Two residents are suspected to be trapped. Rescue teams are working tirelessly,” Omondi said.
The county has urged members of the public to keep away from the area to allow rescue teams to carry out the operation safely.
Kefas Ojuka, chairman of the Small-Scale Gold Miners Association in Nyatike, said the collapse happened at around 11 pm when many residents were asleep.
Ojuka said several commercial structures, including a hotel and a gaming lounge, sank into the ground.
“Commercial houses, including a hotel and a gaming lounge, sank into the ground,” he said.
He said no survivor had been retrieved by the time of his statement, as residents awaited heavy machinery and specialised equipment to support the rescue operation.
The incident has left families and residents waiting for information on people who may have been inside the buildings when they collapsed.
Emergency teams remained at the scene as they worked to determine the extent of the collapse and locate the suspected victims.
Police are expected to issue an official update on the incident after the rescue operation.