The Zambian government has given each family of the 30 trapped miners 10,000 kwachas (about $420), even as rescue efforts continue, President Hakainde Hichilema said on Tuesday.
The miners were trapped on December 1 after an open-pit mine collapsed on them. The incident happened at Chingola, in the country's copperbelt, about 400 kilometres north of the capital Lusaka.
"Our heartfelt appreciation goes to the (victims') family members who have patiently endured, keeping vigil at the site while waiting any news about their loved ones," Hichilema said after visiting the mine collapse site.
"We express our deepest sympathy and understanding of their anguish."
Survivor pulled out
Dorothy Kangwa, a representative of the affected families, said they were grateful for the government's "support."
A survivor was pulled out of the site on Wednesday, Zambia's Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit said, adding that a body awaiting identification was also retrieved.
"A 49-year-old man has been rescued from the collapsed mine slug dump site in Chingola after being trapped with several other miners," the disaster management unit said, adding that he was being treated in hospital.
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