Summary:
- A sudden gold rush has disrupted the city of Zaragoza, Colombia, after residents turned an urban sanitation project into an impromptu mine due to rumors of gold deposits.
- Videos of the crowd digging have gone viral on social media, causing local authorities to halt the public works project.
- The ongoing mining activity has impacted street trade since March 13th, and the condition of Bolívar Street remains uncertain.
Zaragoza, Colombia – A sudden gold rush has taken over the city of Zaragoza, Colombia, as local residents invaded an urban sanitation project and transformed it into an impromptu gold mine following rumors of gold deposits in the area.
Videos of crowds digging up the street, carrying dirt-filled bags, and searching for the precious metal amidst water have rapidly gained traction on social media.
Within minutes, hundreds of people had swarmed the street, hoping to discover some gold, according to Colombian news outlet Caracol Noticias.
Local authorities were left with little choice but to wait for the amateur miners to vacate the area so they could resume their public works project. As a result, the street trade in the area has been disrupted since March 13th.
Blu Radio, a local radio station, reported that the current condition of Bolívar Street remains uncertain, as some residents persist in their mining activities.
At the time of this report, it remains unclear whether any gold has actually been found by the urban prospectors.
The city of Zaragoza is situated in the Bajo Cauca region of Antioquia, an area of Colombia that has been severely impacted by illegal mining operations.
Local press reports indicate that these illicit activities have resulted in the destruction of approximately 400,000 hectares of native forests and water sources.
The sudden and chaotic gold rush in the heart of Zaragoza highlights the complex issues surrounding illegal mining practices in Colombia.
As the search for gold continues, the city’s infrastructure and local businesses are left to grapple with the consequences of this unexpected turn of events.
It remains to be seen how the situation will unfold and what measures authorities may take to address the ongoing disruptions and potential environmental impacts.
