Over 100 Miners Feared Dead After Landslide At Illegal CAR Gold Mine

At least 30 miners have been killed, with more than 100 feared dead, after a landslide buried workers at the illegal Zamboye gold-mining site in the Central African Republic. Rescue teams are searching for survivors, while authorities investigate the collapse of several underground tunnels. The tragedy highlights the dangerous conditions in the country's informal mining sector, where similar deadly landslides have occurred this year.

Dozens of miners are feared dead after a landslide struck an illegal gold-mining site in the Central African Republic (CAR) near the border with Cameroon, with local authorities warning that the death toll could rise above 100.
The disaster occurred on Tuesday afternoon at the Zamboye mining site, about 50 kilometres from the town of Baboua in western CAR.
Initial reports put the death toll at around 30, but authorities later said more than 100 people could have been killed, while several miners remain trapped underground.

RESCUE OPERATION UNDERWAY

Rescue efforts continued on Wednesday as local workers searched through the collapsed mine for survivors and recovered bodies from the debris.
Videos circulating on social media appeared to show the scale of the collapse, with large amounts of earth covering parts of the open-pit mining area.
The chances of finding survivors are believed to be decreasing as rescuers work through unstable and heavily damaged sections of the site.
The Baboua public prosecutor's office said the collapse was linked to the failure of several underground tunnels where miners were working.
An investigation has been opened into the disaster.

GOVERNMENT PROMISES ASSISTANCE

CAR government spokesman Evariste Ngamana expressed condolences to the families of those killed and said the government was working to provide assistance and relief.
Authorities have not yet released a definitive death toll or a complete list of those affected.

DANGEROUS CONDITIONS IN ARTISANAL MINES

The tragedy has highlighted the dangers faced by thousands of workers in CAR's informal gold-mining sector.
Many artisanal mining sites operate illegally or with little government oversight. Workers often use basic tools and enter poorly constructed tunnels without adequate protective equipment or professional safety systems.
Such conditions make tunnel collapses and landslides particularly dangerous.

PREVIOUS MINING DEATHS

The Zamboye disaster also follows several deadly mining accidents in the region this year.
Local authorities have reported that dozens of miners have been killed in landslides at other mining sites since the beginning of the year, underscoring the recurring risks associated with informal mining.
The repeated accidents have raised concerns about the lack of safety regulations and enforcement in gold-rich areas of the Central African Republic.

DEATH TOLL COULD RISE

With many people still believed to be trapped beneath the collapsed tunnels, the final death toll remains uncertain.
Rescue teams are continuing their search while authorities investigate what caused the tunnels to collapse.
The disaster is likely to renew calls for stronger regulation of artisanal mining and improved safety standards to prevent further loss of life in CAR's mining communities.