A man and his wife are among three people confirmed dead after a quarry collapsed on Thursday in Kokotoni village, on the outskirts of Malindi town. One person was rescued alive, while others are still feared to be trapped beneath the rubble.

Malindi Deputy County Commissioner David Lusava confirmed that the victims were mining stones when the incident occurred. Rescue operations are currently underway, with emergency teams racing against time to locate and retrieve any remaining victims.

Lusava revealed that the quarry had been shut down by the government last year after it was declared a safety hazard to the community. Despite the closure, some individuals continued to work at the site, leading to the fatal incident.

Eyewitnesses criticized the county government for what they described as a delayed response, arguing that quicker intervention could have saved more lives.

Authorities are urging the public to avoid condemned mining sites and to adhere strictly to government safety directives. Investigations into the incident are ongoing.