Gold Mine Landslide Buries Villagers Alive, 100 Killed

More than 100 people have died after a community gold mine in a small village in western Central African Republic (CAR) collapsed due to a landslide. The landslide occurred on Tuesday afternoon in Zamboye village, around 50 kilometres from Baboua and near the border with Cameroon.

Footage circulating on social media appears to show a surge of sand striking a group of people believed to be miners and burying them. In a statement issued by the local prosecutor, it was said that many others remain trapped beneath the landslide material.

Red Cross volunteers involved in the relief operation said more than 100 bodies have been recovered from the collapsed mine site. A senior official from the local mining association also confirmed the figure to Reuters.

Local media in the Central African Republic reported that the government has opened an investigation into the incident. A second prosecutor from Baboua told media that the accident is suspected to have been caused by the collapse of several underground tunnels where the miners were working.

“The ground completely collapsed and buried people,” said Cedric Mbango, one of the miners at the site.

“A major disaster,” he added.

The regional governor, Gregoire Mvongo, said on state radio that he is working closely with the Central African Republic government to manage the aftermath of the tragedy. Bertrand Be Yangue, a member of the Zamboye Youth Council, said finding survivors would be a miracle.

Small-scale artisanal mines are widespread across many parts of Africa, despite regulations prohibiting such activity. High unemployment drives many working-age men into abandoned or disused mines in search of income.

Such mining sites often operate with low safety standards, leading to repeated accidents. In the Central African Republic alone, at least 40 people have died in a series of mining incidents so far this year.