A 16-year-old boy lost his life on Saturday after he was buried by sand during its harvesting in Mamba, Yatta sub-county in Machakos County.
According to Yatta Assistant Commisioner Joseph Lenkarie, the teenage Mukalala Secondary School student with others were in the process of harvesting sand when the tragedy occurred.
The boy was buried alive when the pit they were scooping sand from caved in while another got injured.
This comes a few weeks after Yatta MP Francis Mwangangi banned sand-harvesting in his constituency.
He had cited loopholes that were allegedly permitting sand-harvesting in the sub-county.
"Sand-harvesting has been banned in Yatta but it is till going on secretly, meaning there are loopholes that are allowing this activity to go on," said Lenkarie.
Lenkarie added that it is getting worse since sand-harvesters are including school-going kids in their business.
He urged parents to discourage their kids against engaging themselves in sand harvesting.
The body of the boy was taken to Matuu Median Mortuary while the injured was taken to Matuu Level Four Hospital for treatment.