By HARLYNE JOKU
A team led by a concerned Member for Goilala and Transport Minister William Samb flew in a chopper at about 2 pm today amidst heavy rain and bad weather to assess the situation at Saki, a three-hour walk from the former Tolukuma Gold Mine where a massive landslide was reported to have occurred and buried alive 13 people.
Earlier today after 12 noon, Minister Samb told a press conference he was attending a DDA (District Development Authority) meeting at Chirime the past few days where he was informed of the disaster and flew over for an aerial view this morning (see photo).
“I have yet to assess the situation. I cannot speculate and say how many people have been buried alive and damage caused. From reports gathered unfortunately no survivors have been found yet,” Mr Samb said.
He added that massive landslip could have been caused by continuous clearing of forest on the mountain and the ongoing small scale alluvial gold mining activities there.
Saki is an alluvial mining hamlet with 300 alluvial miners from surrounding villagers.
MP Samb flew in with his electoral staff and members of the media. He will overnight there and return tomorrow.
A concerned Central Governor Robert Agarobe who also attended the press conference said the provincial disaster office is prepared to assist the victims of the landslip and make an official assessment of the situation.
Mr Agarobe said the provincial disaster team will be flying in early tomorrow morning.