Miners walk near a mine shaft at Manzou Farm, in Mazowe, Zimbabwe, on April 5, 2018.

(Jekesai NJIKIZANA/AFP/Getty Images)

At a Glance

Heavy rains flooded two underground mines in which the miners were panning for gold.The heavy rains damaged a dam wall, leading to massive flooding.

Several dozen miners are believed to be dead in Zimbabwe after heavy rains flooded two underground mines in which the miners were panning for gold.

While the exact number of missing is unknown, state media Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation says the .

ZBC notes that 34 miners entered the Silver Moon Mine and another four at Cricket Mine at the Battlefields mines near Kadoma Tuesday night local time. The miners entered the underground mines around 11 p.m. before a dam wall failed under the deluge, leading to massive flooding.

Other media outlets put the number of missing at 23, the Associated Press reports.

Inspector Clemence Mabweazara, police spokesman for Mashonaland West Province, said civil protection teams are being deployed to drain the water from the mines. He noted that the water levels in both mines continue to rise, leading to fears that the miners may have drowned.

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According to the weather.com Africa weather desk, "southern Africa is being affected by summertime thunderstorms with torrential downpour capable of causing flash flooding."

In countries adjacent to Zimbabwe in northern South Africa, there have been over 8 inches of rain in 24 hours, weather.com meteorologist Chris Dolce noted.

It is a common sight to see groups of people, including children, mining in Zimbabwe's fields. Artisanal miners account for about half the gold mined in the country.