Central African Republic: Over 100 Labourers Killed in Gold Mine Collapse in Central African Republic

What the report says

Rescue crews in the Central African Republic have raised the death toll from an artisanal gold mine collapse to more than 100 labourers, according to Premium Times, distributed by AllAfrica. The incident occurred on Tuesday in Zamboye, a village in Baboua in the west of the country, not far from the border with Cameroon. The reported toll increased from about 30 to 107 as workers recovered more bodies from beneath the rubble.

Authorities said several people were still missing or trapped, and local officials warned the number of dead could rise further. The cause of the landslide was not immediately clear, although the collapse was linked to underground tunnels used by miners. A miner quoted in the report said the ground gave way suddenly and buried workers.

The article said CAR authorities have opened an investigation into what happened. It also noted that at least three of the victims were reportedly Cameroonian, with bodies being prepared for repatriation and injured survivors receiving treatment. The country’s government expressed sympathy and said it was working on relief for affected families.

The tragedy highlights the dangers of artisanal mining in the CAR, where fatal collapses have occurred before. Such sites often operate with limited safety oversight, making workers vulnerable to landslides and tunnel failures.