Johannesburg - Nineteen miners were injured, three seriously, in rockfalls at Carletonville`s East Driefontein mine on Monday morning, Gold Fields said.
This follows seismic activity measuring about 3.5 on the Richter scale at 08:10.
`There are injuries, but no fatalities. It looks like everyone is accounted for,` spokesperson Willie Jacobsz said.
The three seriously injured were being treated for broken legs, arms and a broken back. Other miners` injuries included minor scratches. The injured were being treated on the mine`s surface or in hospital.
The Council for Geosciences` preliminary reports show that the seismic activity measured about 3.5 on the Richter scale with its epicentre being in Carletonville, west of Johannesburg.
Although the tremors were strong, this was a lower measurement than originally thought, Dr Andrzej Kijko said.
Paramedics and a rescue team had descended into the Carletonville`s number four shaft and the mine was still assessing the full impact.
`All the workplaces collapsed,` NUM branch representative Elias Mulaudzi told Sapa by telephone from the mine.
Earlier this month, five miners died at the mine`s number two shaft when a tremor of similar magnitude hit the area.
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