Tragedy at El Teniente: Mining Disaster Claims Five Lives

A collapse at Codelco's El Teniente mine following a 4.2 magnitude tremor has claimed five lives. Rescue teams are working to clear blocked passages, while investigations continue to determine whether mining activities or natural tectonic shifts caused the disaster.

A collapse at Codelco's El Teniente copper mine has resulted in a tragic death toll of five lives following a strong tremor. Rescue operations continue as teams work to clear blocked underground passages induced by the quake.

The disaster struck on Thursday at about 5:30 PM local time, with Codelco confirming the steady progress of rescue teams who've managed to clear 24 meters of debris from a total of 90. The sequence of occurrences at El Teniente include the first three trapped workers being found as the operation progresses.

The cause of the collapse remains under investigation by Codelco, which is evaluating whether it stemmed from mining activities or was simply a result of tectonic shifts in the area prone to seismic activity.

(With inputs from agencies.)