At least 63 killed in gold mine collapse in Sudan’s West Kordofan
At least 63 people have died after a gold mine collapsed in Sudan’s West Kordofan State, according to survivors and eyewitnesses.
A survivor said that the accident took place on Tuesday at the Al-Zaraa mine in the Al-Riqiq area of West Kordofan, Xinhua reported.
According to the survivor, parts of the mine, which contains around 10 shafts, suddenly collapsed. He estimated that more than 300 people could be trapped inside the mine.
Another survivor told Xinhua that local rescue teams had recovered 63 bodies from the collapsed mine by Wednesday.
“Search operations are still underway for missing people trapped under the rubble,” he said. “Search and rescue efforts are facing great difficulties due to the depth of the shafts and the lack of specialized equipment.”
An eyewitness at the mine said the collapse also affected several neighboring shafts, leaving dozens of miners buried underground.
The eyewitness added that rescue efforts had been hampered by difficulties reaching the bottoms of the shafts and the absence of suitable machinery needed to recover the victims.
Artisanal mining is an important source of income for many people in Sudan and accounts for about 80% of the country’s gold production. The sector operates at more than 800 sites across northern and western Sudan and employs more than 1.5 million miners.
Gold is among Sudan’s main sources of foreign currency. Official statistics show that the country produced 70 tons of gold in 2025.
Mining accidents are common in Sudan because of inadequate safety measures and deteriorating infrastructure.
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