At least eight people died at a mine in Mazowe, about 40 km north Zimbabwe's capital Harare, after a mine shaft they were working in collapsed following an explosion, the information department in the Zimbabwean government said Monday.

The Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services posted on Twitter that the incident involved illegal miners.

“Government received tragic news of a mining incident at Jumbo Mine in Mazowe. Information at hand indicates that some people engaged in unauthorized mining exploded dynamite in one shaft causing a collapse in an adjacent shaft.”

“Eight bodies have been recovered so far. Investigations (are) underway,” the ministry said.

Zimbabwe in February suffered one of its worst mining disasters in recent years when 28 miners died in Kadoma after their mine shafts were flooded following heavy rains.