9 workers have been buried under soil following an enormous landslide in a gold mine in İliç, Erzincan, in Türkiye's east, Paralel.Az reports citing Turkish media.

The initial understanding of the event, deemed a long-feared disaster at this increasingly expanded mining site, was that tons of soil and rock had dramatically shifted, signaling a mine collapse.

The severity of the situation was highlighted by distressing scenes shared on social media.

However, Erzincan Governor Hamza Aydogdu, contradicting earlier reports, stated that the incident was not a collapse. "There was no collapse in the mine, but rather a landslide. Also, there was no explosion."

Despite the change in the nature of the incident, the response remains urgent. Emergency teams, including local law enforcement, ambulances, and search and rescue units, were rapidly dispatched to the site. Anagold's own rescue teams are also present to aid in the emergency efforts.

Governor Aydogdu emphasized the commitment to keeping the public accurately informed, mentioning that details about the number of individuals trapped under the soil would be shared periodically with the press. He also noted that more time is needed to provide concrete information about those present in the area at the time of the incident.