What burns beneath: the deadly threat of underground coal fires to children in Zimbabwe

Alisha was eight when she died after being badly burned near a coal mine in Hwange. Families who live in fear of the ground opening up under their children's feet say more must be doneAlisha Muzvite was out playing when she was caught short and went behind a bush to go to the toilet. But as the eight-year-old crouched down, the ground beneath her shifted, pulling her into one of the underground fires which burn all around her home in Hwange in north-west Zimbabwe.An aunt pulled her to safety, but Alisha's legs were so badly burned that they had to be amputated. More than a month after the accident, the little girl died of her injuries. Continue reading...