100 dead in Central African Republic gold mine collapse

A landslide at an illegal gold mine has claimed at least 100 lives in the Central African Republic, with search efforts ongoing, according to local sources. The accident occurred at the Zamboye mining site, situated approximately 50 kilometers from Baboua town on Tuesday afternoon. Several local sources reported that around 100 individuals perished, while many more sustained injuries in what is a recurring issue in this mineral-rich nation.

Baboua's elected official, Laurent Ngon Baba, informed AFP that it is currently challenging to ascertain an official death toll. At least four victims hailed from Cameroon, as reported by the Cameroon Tribune. Survivors were transported to the hospital in Baboua, and the search operation persisted.

The landslide is believed to have resulted from the collapse of several underground tunnels where miners were engaged in operations, as stated by the Baboua public prosecutor, who divulged that a judicial inquiry has been initiated. Video footage on social media depicted a segment of the ground at the extensive open-pit mining site giving way, burying people in its wake.

Cedric Mbango, a miner at the site, described the incident as "catastrophic," explaining that the ground completely collapsed, engulfing individuals. Gregoire Mvongo, the governor of the eastern Cameroonian region, announced on public CRTV radio that they are collaborating closely with their Central African counterparts to manage the aftermath of this tragedy.

In June, a comparable collapse resulted in the deaths of several dozen individuals at the Be-Mbari gold mining site, also located on the Cameroon border. In mid-March, a landslide claimed seven lives at a mine in the village of Ngourroum, situated in the west of the Central African Republic. Another 20 were killed in February in Gordi, located in the northeast.