Gold mine collapse kills at least 100 in Central African Republic

At least 100 people died in a landslide at an illegal gold mine in the Central African Republic, near the border with Cameroon. Local sources confirmed the deaths on Wednesday, with search operations continuing for more victims. The accident occurred Tuesday afternoon at the Zamboye mining site, approximately 50 kilometers from Baboua.

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At this stage it’s difficult for us to establish a formal toll.

Several local sources reported around 100 fatalities and numerous injuries, underscoring the frequent dangers of mining in the Central African Republic. "At this stage it’s difficult for us to establish a formal toll," said Laurent Ngon Baba, an elected official in Baboua. At least four of the deceased were identified as Cameroonian.

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the collapse of several underground tunnels in which miners were operating

Survivors were transported to Baboua's hospital while rescue efforts persisted. The public prosecutor's office stated that the landslide likely resulted from "the collapse of several underground tunnels" and has launched a judicial inquiry. Such landslides are common in the country's unregulated, illegal mining operations.

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The ground completely collapsed and buried people.

Video footage circulating on social media depicted a section of the open-pit mine, where hundreds of artisanal miners work, collapsing and burying individuals. A miner at the site described the event as "catastrophic." The governor of Cameroon's eastern region confirmed collaboration with Central African authorities to manage the aftermath of the tragedy. This incident follows similar fatal collapses in June and March, as well as another in February.

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working in close collaboration with our Central African colleagues to deal with the aftermath of this tragedy