Bodies of two women recovered from collapsed hotel in Nyatike

 

The bodies of two women have been recovered from the rubble of the collapsed hotel in Osiri Matanda mining area, Nyatike North Sub-County.

Nyatike North Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) Daniel Omukoko said the bodies were retrieved following a search operation by locals, miners, security personnel, and county disaster response teams on Saturday.

The victims were identified as Millicent Atieno, a resident of Mukuro in Suna West Sub-County, and Philice Awino, 36, from Central Kadem in Nyatike North Sub-County.

The two women were reported missing after the makeshift structure in which they had spent the night suddenly collapsed and sank into an underground mining tunnel on September 24, 2026.

Authorities said the bodies had started decomposing, an indication of the difficult conditions underground and the length of time they remained trapped beneath the debris.

“The bodies were transported to Migori County Level Five Hospital Mortuary, awaiting post-mortem examinations and further procedures before being released to their families for burial,” Mr Omukoko said.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the building collapsed after the ground beneath it gave way due to the presence of abandoned and weakened mining tunnels.

The hotel had been established within an active artisanal mining zone, where extensive underground excavations have left large sections of land unstable.

Omukoko attributed the disaster to unsafe mining practices that have compromised the structural integrity of the area.

“The house they were living in collapsed underneath into a mining tunnel. At this site, the colonial stools and pillars supporting the tunnels have been destroyed due to irresponsible mining activities,” he said.

Preliminary investigations established that almost all kiosks and structures within the mining area have been constructed on grounds that are hollow inside.

The administrator warned that the continued destruction of underground support pillars poses a serious threat to lives and property in the mining-rich area.

He noted that many structures have been erected on weakened ground without proper geological assessment, increasing the risk of future cave-ins.

The government has announced safety measures aimed at averting similar incidents.

Authorities have directed that all kiosk operators and business owners currently operating within the dangerous mining zone be relocated to the nearby Osiri Kambi settlement, located approximately 800 metres from the affected site.

Moreover, mining shafts that fail to meet established safety standards will be closed immediately as part of an intensified enforcement campaign targeting unsafe mining operations.