KAHRAMANMARAŞ — 2011 · Major Tragedy

Çöllolar Mine Landslide

SolvedSources: ALast updated: 14 October 2026

On 6 and 10 February 2011, massive landslides struck the Çöllolar open-pit coal field in Afşin, Kahramanmaraş. Eleven miners died; only two bodies were recovered, while nine remain buried under millions of tonnes of earth. In July 2012 charges were brought at the Elbistan High Criminal Court against 23 employees of the operating company and the state power utility EÜAŞ. After some six years, prison sentences for four company employees were converted into judicial fines and the other defendants were acquitted.

Date: 2011
Place: Afşin / Elbistan (Çöllolar), Kahramanmaraş
Category: Major Tragedy
Case Status: Solved
Coordinates: 38.3100, 37.0300 ↗

Timeline of Events

6 February 2011The first landslide buried workers at Çöllolar.
10 February 2011A second landslide halted search efforts.

July 2012Charges were filed against 23 defendants.
2017Four sentences were converted to fines; the rest were acquitted.

Sources

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