Gold mine collapse kills at least 100 people in C.Africa

A landslide at an illegal gold mine in the Central African Republic has resulted in at least 100 fatalities, with many more injured. The disaster occurred at the Zamboye mining site, located approximately 50 kilometers from the town of Baboua, on a Tuesday afternoon. Search efforts continue in the aftermath of the collapse, which impacted an open-pit mining area where hundreds of artisanal miners are employed.

Several sources stated that around 100 individuals lost their lives, while numerous others sustained injuries. Opposition leaders from both countries have expressed outrage over the hazardous conditions endured by artisanal miners. Cedric Mbango, a miner at the site, described the incident as catastrophic, stating that the ground completely gave way, burying people in its path.

The landslide is believed to have been triggered by the collapse of several underground tunnels utilized by miners. The Baboua public prosecutor stated that a judicial inquiry has been initiated to investigate the incident. Currently, it proves challenging to ascertain an official casualty count, according to Laurent Ngon Baba, an elected official in Baboua. Four of the victims were reportedly Cameroonian, according to the Cameroon Tribune.

Survivors were transported to hospitals in Baboua, and the search operation persisted on Wednesday. Landslides are commonplace in unregulated mining operations across the Central African Republic. Gregoire Mvongo, the governor of an eastern Cameroonian region, expressed that his country is cooperating closely with Central African authorities to address the consequences of this tragedy.

The Central African Republic's president, Martin Ziguele, of the Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People, asserted that the government is directly accountable for these calamities. In addition, Cameroonian opposition leader Maurice Kamto emphasized the inhumane treatment of miners, who work under perilous circumstances lacking adequate safety measures.

Kamto, a prominent critic of Cameroonian President Paul Biya, highlighted the country's reliance on mineral exploitation for economic growth and the recent strengthening of controls in the gold sector.