A 21-year-old woman was on Thursday buried alive as she mined sand from a quarry in Homa Bay County.

Mr Richard Olweny, a village elder said many residents depend on manual jobs, including sand harvesting and farming.

Rachuonyo East Deputy County Commissioner Jack Obuo said residents who rushed to the quarry to rescue the woman found that she had already died.

He warned residents against engaging in sand harvesting as it was banned by the county government in measures to contain spread of Covid-19.

"We want locals to stop sand harvesting since it has been banned by the Homa Bay County government.