Central African Republic artisanal gold mine collapses, killing more than 100

A mine collapse in the village of Zamboye near the border with Cameroon has resulted in over 100 deaths. The incident occurred at an informal gold mine, where an underground collapse triggered by severe landslides caused several subterranean tunnels to cave in, releasing a massive torrent of unstable earth that buried the laborers working below, according to Egypt Independent.

The victims include both Central African nationals and workers from neighboring Cameroon. Emergency workers and local Red Cross volunteers have retrieved upwards of 100 bodies from the debris. Rescue efforts are ongoing, with heavy excavators and machinery being used to clear the heavy soil layer. However, community leaders have expressed concern that using heavy equipment might crush any pockets of space where survivors could potentially be clinging to life.

Local authorities have launched an inquiry to determine the exact cause of the structural failure. The precise count of workers inside the shaft during the cave-in remains unconfirmed, and officials caution that the death toll will likely climb as recovery operations continue. The Associated Press reports that hopes of finding survivors are fading, and rescuers are struggling with a lack of equipment and expertise.

Brief written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post, Egypt Independent, Associated Press — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.