Cholera kills at least 100 people in southeast Liberia
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2005-08-12 10:15

A fresh outbreak of cholera has claimed at least 100 lives at an illegal diamond and gold mining area in southeast Liberia, according to reports reaching Lagos Thursday.

The outbreak in the town of Butaw in Sinoe County, which started early this month, was said to be the result of poor sanitation.

But a private local radio station quoted Transport Minister Vamba Kanneh as blaming the deaths on "water poisoning."

Kanneh told the radio he had received credible information that "some local people poisoned the stream that supplied drinking water to the area because they were unhappy with the influx of illegal miners exploiting their gold and diamonds."

A UN official in the affected area told the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) radio that UN agencies and local authorities were trying to contain the situation.

Efforts are also said to be underway to evacuate some of the illegal miners from the area.

The Health Ministry has dispatched a medical team to the area.

Information Minister William Allen expressed the government's concern over the cholera outbreak and confirmed the illegal mining in the area.

He told reporters that thousands of illegal miners, who came from as far as Mauritania, are engaged in illegal mining of diamond and gold at Butaw town.

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