Monitoring the restrictive measures in the mines, imposed on garimpeiros in Manica province, is the priority of the mining authorities in Manica, according to the Director of the provincial infrastructure services.

The statement came as a result of the deaths of five miners following a landslide at a gold mine on Monday in Sussundenga district.

At the time of the event, the mine in question, and many others, were closed to mining activities following the passage of Tropical Storm Ana.

The five miners and two other people were exploring shafts and tunnels in an area "off-limits and with shifting soils" affected by tropical storm Ana, Silva Manuel said.

Of the seven victims two were found alive with minor injuries, he added.

The area had been off-limits since last week after monitoring work on the mines indicated a risk of collapse, and it was recommended that the miners grouped in a mining cooperative be removed, but the group neglected to do so and went in clandestinely, Silva Manuel continued.

"We have made restrictions" annually in mining areas with safety deficiencies, Silva Manuel specified, assuring that mining associations have training for safe and proper practice of mining activity to reduce the risk of cave-ins.

"Now it's rainy weather, the soils are fragile and shifting, so we prevent miners from entering areas that are not in safe condition," the official said, advancing that teams will be sent to prone areas to prevent further accidents.

The accident rate in artisanal mines is high due to the precariousness of the exploitations, aggravated during the rainy season, from October to April.

The tragic stories of garimpo in Manica include the mass death of about 100 garimpeiros, including Mozambicans and Zimbabweans, victims of a wave of cold weather and poor safety conditions in one of the mines in the district of Sussundenga.

During this time, there is a ban on activity in several mines due to ground movement.