Gold mine landslide kills over 100 in CAR near Cameroon border

Videos circulating online appear to show a slope collapsing onto people at the mining site as others fled. Miners at the site described the ground collapsing and burying individuals. Rescue efforts are underway, with concerns that the death toll could increase.

At least three of the victims were identified as Cameroonian nationals, whose bodies are being repatriated for burial, stated Grégoire Mvongo, the governor of Cameroon's East Region. Injured individuals are also receiving care.

Survivors are being transported to a hospital in Baboua, a town in CAR approximately 50km from the Zamboï mining site. Local authorities in the CAR have initiated an investigation into the cause of the landslide. A statement from the public prosecutor in Baboua suggested that the collapse of several underground tunnels where miners were working may be to blame.

Artisanal mining is a significant source of income in the region, but working conditions are often poor and expose miners to considerable risks. Mine collapses and landslides are not uncommon occurrences in such areas, exacerbated by unsealed pits and heavy rainfall weakening the soil.