(Bloomberg) -- At least 15 people died when a dam collapsed at a gold mine in Russia’s Krasnoyarsk region, the Ministry of Emergency Situations said on its website.
The incident happened at about 2 a.m. Moscow time Saturday near one of the small local gold mining companies’ operations, the ministry said. Emergency services continue rescue efforts and seven of the 13 people reported missing earlier have been found alive, the Tass news wire reported, citing a local official.
The deluge damaged temporary shelters where miners were sleeping, the Moscow-based news agency Interfax reported, citing unidentified local officials. As many as 80 people were in the accommodation at the time.
The dam wasn’t registered with the Environmental, Industrial and Nuclear Supervision Service and was illegal, Interfax said, citing unidentified representatives of the watchdog. Prosecutors have opened an investigation into the case.
President Vladimir Putin ordered local authorities to provide all the needed help for the victims.
Brazil enacted more stringent checks on mining dam operations in January after a deadly collapse at a Vale SA mine killed at least 249 people. That investigation is still ongoing.
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