Two miners were killed in an explosion at a mine in Peru’s southern Puno region, local media reported on Tuesday. Newspaper La Republica said the explosion at the Santa Teresa mine in Puno’s Carabaya province occurred on Monday.
The victims were identified by authorities as 30-year-old Rafael Cahuana and 28-year-old Seferino Huaricalla. Authorities say that the workers were handling dynamite when the explosion occurred.
Many of the fatalities at Peruvian mines occur at small-scale operations that do not have adequate safety measures. In 2012, there were 54 mining fatalities, according to the Mines and Energy Ministry. So far this year, there have been at least 11 fatalities, including the most recent deaths in Puno.
