A black ribbon worn on a man's lapel in solidarity with those who died in the Soma mine disaster in Turkey. UPI/David Silpa | License Photo

ERMENEK, Turkey, Oct. 28 (UPI) -- At least 20 workers are trapped after a coal mine in southern Turkey collapsed following a flash flood.

According Karaman Gov. Murat Koca, the Has Sekerler mine near Ermenek collapsed while over 40 workers were actively mining.


"Other workers left the mine but 20 miners were working in the flooded gallery," Korca said according to the International Business Times. Local reports say 25 people were successfully evacuated before the collapse.

Emergency relief and search and rescue squads have been dispatched.

The collapse comes a day after IPS News published statements made by the Confederation of Revolutionary Trade Unions of Turkey (DISK) asserting another mine collapse -- similar to Soma collapse that killed more than 300 people in May -- is imminent.

Turkey's over 450 mines are privately operated, a controversial policy.

IPS News reports:

"Privatisation of Turkey's mines began in the 1980s, when there was widespread agreement that the state was incapable of running mines efficiently. Now, private companies apply for permits through the Ministry of Energy and when they are approved, they hire auditors, engineers and safety personnel, all of whom are supposed to ensure the safety of the mines and fair treatment of the workers."

However because the mining companies are mostly responsible for self-regulating, they do little to prioritize the interests of their workers or Turkey's state well-being, something DISK Secretary General Arzu Cerkezoglu blames on the government for enabling rampant privatization.

"The reason these people died [in Soma] is because of the government's ... policies of subcontracting and making profits. The people really responsible are those in the government who allow privatisation."