At least 14 people lost their lives in a devastating mine collapse in El Callao, a small mining town in southeastern Venezuela, after relentless torrential rains battered the region on October 13, 2025. The tragedy, which unfolded in the Cuatro Esquinas de Caratal mine, has cast a grim spotlight on the perilous conditions that define much of Venezuela’s mining industry—an industry that, for better or worse, is the economic backbone of El Callao and many other communities like it.
Authorities confirmed that the fatalities occurred across three separate shafts within the gold mine. The collapse was triggered when heavy rains flooded the vertical mines—known locally as ravines—causing the unstable earth to give way. According to the Associated Press, Brigadier General Gregory González Acevedo, who heads the Operational Zones for Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis in Bolívar state, quickly established a command post to coordinate recovery operations. The National Risk System, Venezuela’s emergency response agency, reported on social media that teams were actively engaged in the grueling task of recovering the bodies and searching for any possible survivors.
“The first phase of the works is to pump out all the shafts in the sector to reduce the water level, and then evaluate rescue efforts,” emergency officials stated in a post shared widely across Venezuelan social media. This painstaking process began as soon as the severity of the disaster became clear. Floodwaters had filled the mine shafts, making immediate entry impossible and raising fears that more miners might be trapped below ground.
The official death toll—at least 14—was confirmed by testimonies from other miners as well as local firefighters, according to reports from emergency officials and multiple news agencies. The National Risk System teams, assisted by local authorities and volunteers, have been working around the clock since the collapse, but as of Tuesday, no further details had been released about additional casualties or the progress of rescue operations.
El Callao, a town of approximately 30,000 people located about 850 kilometers southeast of Caracas, is almost entirely dependent on mining for its survival. The vast majority of its residents are involved in gold mining, either directly as miners or indirectly through supporting trades and businesses. The collapse has therefore sent shockwaves through the entire community, many of whom have lost friends, family members, or colleagues in the disaster.
“Life in El Callao revolves around gold mining,” one local official noted, echoing the sentiments of many who live in the region. It’s a tough life, often marked by long hours, physical danger, and—especially in the case of informal or poorly regulated mines—a lack of basic safety measures. The Cuatro Esquinas de Caratal mine, like many others in Venezuela, operates in a sector notorious for unsafe working conditions and lax oversight.
Venezuela’s mining sector is rich not only in gold, but also in copper, diamonds, and other valuable minerals. Yet this abundance has come at a heavy cost. The country’s mining industry is plagued by a lack of effective regulation, leading to frequent accidents and, tragically, preventable deaths. According to emergency officials, the vertical mines that dot the landscape in El Callao and other mining towns are especially vulnerable to collapse during periods of heavy rainfall.
The recent disaster is far from an isolated event. In fact, such accidents have become distressingly common in Venezuela’s mining regions. The combination of aging infrastructure, limited investment in safety, and the unpredictable forces of nature—exacerbated by climate change and increasingly erratic weather patterns—has created a perfect storm for tragedy.
On the day of the collapse, torrential rains swept through the region, overwhelming drainage systems and quickly flooding the mine shafts. The vertical design of the mines, which are essentially deep, narrow ravines, made them particularly susceptible to flooding. As water levels rose, the earth became saturated and unstable, leading to the catastrophic collapse that claimed so many lives.
Rescue operations have proven to be both dangerous and complex. The first priority for emergency teams was to pump out the water that had filled the shafts, a process that required heavy equipment and careful coordination. Only once the water levels were sufficiently reduced could rescue workers safely enter the mines to search for survivors and recover the bodies of the deceased.
As of Tuesday, the focus remained on recovery rather than rescue, with little hope that any miners trapped underground could still be found alive. The operation has been hampered by the same factors that contributed to the disaster in the first place: unstable ground, lingering floodwaters, and a lack of adequate resources. Nevertheless, teams from the National Risk System, local firefighters, and volunteers have pressed on, determined to bring closure to the families of the victims.
The tragedy has reignited debate over the state of Venezuela’s mining industry and the urgent need for reform. Critics argue that the government has failed to enforce safety regulations or invest in infrastructure improvements, leaving miners to fend for themselves in hazardous conditions. Others point to the economic desperation that drives so many Venezuelans to seek work in the mines, despite the obvious risks.
“Unsafe working conditions and poor regulation are a reality in our mining sector,” an emergency official said, summing up the frustrations felt by many in the region. The lack of oversight has created an environment where accidents are all but inevitable, and where the human cost of gold, copper, and diamond extraction is measured in lives lost.
For the families of the victims, the pain is immeasurable. Many had hoped that their loved ones would return safely at the end of a long shift, only to be met with the devastating news of the collapse. The community of El Callao has rallied together in the wake of the tragedy, offering support to those affected and calling for greater accountability from both local and national authorities.
As search and recovery operations continue, the people of El Callao—and indeed, all of Venezuela—are left to grapple with difficult questions about the future of mining in the country. Can meaningful reforms be implemented to prevent future tragedies? Will the government and industry leaders take action to improve safety, or will miners continue to risk their lives in pursuit of precious metals?
The collapse at Cuatro Esquinas de Caratal stands as a stark reminder of the dangers faced by those who work underground, and of the urgent need for change in one of Venezuela’s most vital—and most perilous—industries.