A WOMAN miner lost her life at Arakaka Backdam, North West District on Tuesday when a large piece of mud suddenly caved in from the top of the pit and covered her.
Dead is Eleen Figuera, 44, a miner of Two Miles, Arakaka ,North West District.

A team from the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission is expected to head into the area to probe the mining incident. Reports indicate that the woman was punting for gold in a pit along with other persons when the incident occurred. She was taken out and was immediately taken to the Pakera District Hospital, North West District, by her daughter where she was pronounced dead on arrival. The body is currently at the Pakera District Hospital mortuary awaiting an autopsy.

In early October, Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman had ordered an immediate enforcement operation to be conducted jointly by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and the Ministry’s Compliance Division’s Corp of Wardens in the mining areas where there has been an increase in legal and illegal mining activities and accidents.

This had followed the death of Lennox Douglas, 33, of Canvas City, Wismar, Linden, who died after the pit he was working in caved in on Monday night. “The Ministry of Natural Resources takes note of the most recent mining tragedy which occurred last evening at Issano Backdam, Region Seven,” the ministry stated in a release . The ministry said the two agencies are expected to provide a report upon completion of the operation. It is unclear whether that report was completed.

The October incident had occurred less than a month after two other mining- related deaths at Mowasi Backdam, Konawaruk, Potaro. A resident of Aishalton and another man, identified as Deon Sproston of Matthew’s Ridge , North West District, died in that incident.