Bodies of at least 22 illegal gold miners were pulled out of shafts west of Harare on Saturday, according to officials and witnesses.
Artisanal miners, known locally as “Makorokoza” or hustlers, who use picks and shovels and generator-powered water pumps are popular in the area, known to be rich in gold.
The makeshift shafts and tunnels however easily collapse in the rainy season when the ground is soft, causing the demise of the gold miners.
The accident involving about 70 miners in Battlefields happened on Tuesday night and has shone a light on the risks run by illegal gold miners.
The government has declared the incident a disaster.
Henrietta Rushwaya, the chief executive officer of the Zimbabwe Miners Federation, which represents small-scale miners, said at least 22 bodies had been identified in the shafts and tunnels.
“We hope we will be able to retrieve all of the people in time,” Rushwaya said.