Three people have died and another thirteen are missing following a landslide at a copper mine in the Sirvan District of Siirt Province in southeastern Turkey on Friday 18 November 2016. The incident happened at the Park Elektrik owned Madenköy Mine following heavy rains in the area. Landslides
are a common problem after severe weather events, as excess pore water
pressure can overcome cohesion in soil and sediments, allowing them to
flow like liquids. Approximately 90% of all landslides are caused by
heavy rainfall.
Relatives of trapped mineworkers watching an ongoing rescue operation at the Madenköy Copper Mine on 18 November 2016. Sertac Kayar/Reuters.
The Madenköy Mine has been operated by Park Elektrik since 2006, and has an estimated reserve of 41 500 000 million tonnes of ore, which contains an average of 2.02% copper, with about 1 800 000 tonnes of ore being produced each year. The name 'Madenköy' means 'village of mines', confusingly other mines in Turkey also have this name.
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