A group representing informal miners in South Africa says at least 100 men who were mining illegally in an abandoned gold mine have died after being trapped deep underground for months while police tried to get them out.

The number of illegal miners who’ve died in a months-long standoff with the South African authorities increased to 51, the security forces said.Most Read from BloombergThese Homes Withstood the LA Fires.

South African authorities have come under intense scrutiny for their response after civic groups said hundreds of miners have been trapped deep in an abandoned gold mine for months