Marble mine collapse death toll reached 22

 Rescue operation is still underway to pull out the injured and dead from the rubble

The death toll from a marble mine collapse in Mohmand district of KPK rose to 22 by Tuesday evening. We reported 11 causalities of mine workers yesterday. The more bodies recovered from the rubble on Tuesday.

One person was recovered alive after being buried in the debris for about 25 hours. According to Rescue 1122 director general, search for at least five people is still underway. Six bodies were pulled out earlier in the day, while two of the injured had passed away. In a statement earlier today, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) director general said nine injured had been rescued so far.

A spokesperson for Rescue 1122 told the media that most of those injured were in a serious condition, adding that two of them died while receiving treatment at Mohmand Hospital. At least five people are still buried beneath the rubble, said the spokesperson.

Between 40 and 50 people were at the site at the time of the collapse which occurred on Monday evening. Usually a large number of people work in these marble mines but luckily a majority had finished work and returned home.

On Monday, huge parts of the famous Ziarat marble mountain in Safi tehsil of Mohmand tribal district fell onto several nearby mines.

Rescue 1122 had said its Mohmand team was carrying out a search operation to find the missing people, adding that additional personnel had been dispatched to the area from Peshawar and Charsadda

Besides search and rescue tools, heavy machinery and ambulances were taking part in the operation, the rescue service had added.

                                                Rukhsana Manzoor Deputy Editor