At least three people were killed when a quarry collapsed in Kokotoni village, on the outskirts of Malindi town.
The victims included a man and his wife, police said.
Malindi Deputy County Commissioner David Lusava said the victims were mining stones when the tragic incident occurred on Thursday.
Other victims are feared to still be trapped beneath the rubble.
He said the quarry had been shut down by the government last year after it was deemed a safety hazard to the surrounding community.
Despite the closure, some individuals continued to operate in the area, leading to the fatal incident.
Rescue operations went on as emergency teams worked to locate and retrieve any remaining victims.
Witnesses at the scene criticised the county government’s delayed response, saying faster intervention could have improved rescue efforts.
Authorities urged the public to avoid unsafe mining sites and adhere to government directives on closed or condemned operations as investigations into the incident continue.
Meanwhile, at least one person died and several others were seriously injured following a road accident in the Githurai area of Nairobi on Wednesday morning.
Kasarani Sub-County Police Commander Emmanuel Rono confirmed the incident, stating that three passengers were seriously injured, while nine others were treated for minor injuries and transported to Kenyatta National Hospital for treatment.
Witnesses said the accident occurred when a matatu traveling from Nairobi’s central business district to Thika lost brakes and collided with a motorcycle carrying a pillion passenger.
“The matatu was racing towards Thika direction. Upon reaching Githurai, it hit a motorcycle that had a woman and a few items, including goat heads,” said a witness.
“The motorcyclist fell off , but the vehicle ended up trapping the woman underneath. We lifted the matatu and pulled her out, but it appeared she had already died.”
Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, and efforts are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the crash.
