A gold mine collapsed in Central Africa, killing over 100 people

More than a hundred people have died in a severe landslide caused by the collapse of an illegal gold mine operating in the village of Zamboi, Nana-Mambéré prefecture, in the western region of the Central African Republic. With the collapse at this open-pit mine, located about 50 kilometers from the town of Baboua, near the Cameroon border, a large number of people were trapped under layers of earth and sand.

Rescue operations are still underway, utilizing local residents, Red Cross volunteers, and limited available equipment, but it is reported that the death toll could further increase depending on the number of people still trapped.

The accident occurred when a group of miners were engaged in excavation work in underground tunnels and a mound of earth suddenly collapsed. This gold mine is an informal site where manual excavation is carried out without safety procedures, and many young men and women were working here to support their families. Video footage showing a mound of earth and sand collapsing onto people at the time of the accident has also been circulated, and a miner named Cédric Mbango, who described the incident, stated that the current situation is very tragic and a large number of people are still trapped under the earth.

More than 100 bodies have been recovered so far, with a Cameroonian border official reporting the number of recovered bodies as 107. Among the dead and injured are not only residents of the Central African Republic but also neighboring Cameroonians, and arrangements have been made to repatriate the bodies of the deceased Cameroonians to their country. Seriously injured individuals have been admitted to Baboua Hospital, and government spokesperson Evariste Ngamana has expressed sorrow over the incident, while the Baboua government prosecutor has launched a comprehensive investigation.

Over 150,000 people in the Central African Republic are engaged in such informal gold mining as a livelihood, producing between 2 and 5 tons of gold annually. However, such mining, carried out without proper regulation or safety equipment, frequently leads to fatal accidents. In the first few months of 2026 alone, people also lost their lives in mine collapses in the areas of Baye-Mbari, Ngouroum, and Gordi, and due to existing poverty and unemployment, people are compelled to engage in such risky occupations.