Over 100 miners die in gold mine collapse in Central African Republic

An artisanal gold mine collapsed in the Central African Republic (CAR) on Tuesday. This incident has now claimed the lives of more than 100 miners.

The death toll increased from about 30 to 107 as rescue workers found more bodies trapped under the rubble in recent hours.

Al Jazeera, along with Red Cross volunteers and local media, reported that the landslide happened in Zamboye, a village in Baboua. This village is located in the west of the country and just a few kilometers from eastern Cameroon.

Authorities believe the number of dead may go up because many people are still missing or trapped under the debris.

"Finding them alive would be a miracle. We are saddened and heartbroken to see young men and women perish after coming to the mines to save their families from despair," said Bertrand Be Yang, a local official.

It is not clear what caused the landslide. But the collapse seems to have happened because several underground tunnels were operating in the area.

One miner, Cedric Mbango, told the AFP news agency, "The ground completely collapsed and buried people. As I speak to you, other people are still buried."

Local media in CAR reported that the authorities have opened an investigation into what led to the landslide.

The governor of Cameroon’s East Region, Grégoire Mvongo, told state media that at least three of the dead are Cameroonian.

He mentioned that the bodies of the victims are being sent back home for burial. Meanwhile, those injured in Zamboï are receiving medical treatment.

Evariste Ngamana, the CAR government spokesman, expressed his condolences to the families affected by this tragedy. He also stated that authorities are "working hard to provide relief and assistance" to those impacted.

Mine collapses are common in the republic. In June, a similar incident killed dozens at a site on the Cameroon border known as the Be-Mbari gold mining site. In mid-March, a landslide at a mine in the village of Ngourroum, located in the west of CAR, resulted in the deaths of seven people.