Key facts
- At least 82 people died in a gold mine collapse in Sudan's West Kordofan province.
- The collapse occurred at the informal al-Zara gold mine in Nuhud.
- Rescuers recovered 82 bodies by Wednesday afternoon, with dozens still missing.
- Limited equipment and the ongoing conflict are hindering rescue efforts.
- The mine is controlled by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
- Informal gold mines in Sudan often lack basic safety measures.
At least 82 people have died following the collapse of an informal gold mine in Sudan's West Kordofan province, with dozens more feared trapped beneath the rubble. Rescuers are facing significant challenges in their search efforts due to limited equipment and the ongoing conflict in the region.
The collapse occurred at the al-Zara gold mine in Nuhud, a town controlled by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has been fighting the Sudanese military for over three years. Survivors described the situation as dire, with a lack of heavy machinery to remove soil and stones from depths of over 30 meters.
Informal gold mines are common across Sudan, a major gold producer, but often operate without basic safety standards. This lack of regulation contributes to frequent deadly accidents, with previous collapses in 2023 and 2021 claiming 14 and 38 lives, respectively.
Gold has become a significant source of funding for both sides of Sudan's protracted conflict, with much of the country's gold reportedly smuggled abroad. The war, which began in April 2023, has resulted in at least 59,000 deaths, according to monitoring groups.