Gold mine collapse kills at least 100 people in Central Africa

A landslide at an illegal gold mine in Central African Republic has claimed at least 100 lives, with many more injured, according to local sources. The incident occurred at the Zamboye mining site, located approximately 50 kilometers from the town of Baboua on Tuesday afternoon. Local officials are still conducting search operations to recover victims and assess the full extent of the tragedy.

Baboua elected official Laurent Ngon Baba stated that it's currently challenging to determine an exact death toll, as many individuals were injured in the accident. At least four victims were reported to be of Cameroonian origin, according to the Cameroon Tribune. Survivors were promptly transported to a local hospital for treatment while the search efforts continued.

The landslide is believed to have resulted from the collapse of several underground tunnels used by the miners. The Baboua public prosecutor announced the opening of a judicial inquiry into the incident. Video footage circulating on social media depicted the aftermath, showing a section of the ground at the extensive open-pit mining site giving way and engulfing people in its path.

Miner Cedric Mbango described the event as "catastrophic," noting that the ground "completely collapsed and buried people." Governor Gregoire Mvongo of the eastern Cameroonian region expressed that authorities are collaborating closely with their Central African counterparts to manage the aftermath of this tragic event. Similar landslides have occurred at other illegal gold mines in the region, including the Be-Mbari mine in June, which claimed several dozen lives, and a landslide in mid-March that killed seven individuals at a mine in Ngourroum.

An additional 20 fatalities were recorded in February in the village of Gordi, located in the northeast of the country.