Nearly 50 killed in gold mine collapse in Central African Republic

James Tasamba

At least 49 people have been confirmed dead following a landslide this week at an artisanal gold mining site in western Central African Republic, authorities said Thursday.

The incident occurred Tuesday in the village of Zamboye in Nana-Mambere prefecture, near the border with Cameroon.

Those confirmed dead include 34 Central Africans, 13 Cameroonians and two Chadians, Mines and Geology Minister Rufin Benam-Beltoungou told reporters in Bangui.

The official said authorities had ordered the closure of the mining site as search operations continued for people who could still be trapped.

Footage shared on social media showed a section of the sprawling mining site caving in. Initial reports had put the death toll at around 100.

Artisanal mining is reportedly a major source of livelihood for young people in the country’s mineral-rich regions.

On June 8, another landslide at an artisanal mining site in Kinyeme, in the same region, killed at least eight people and left more than a dozen others missing, according to local media.

The wells are reportedly often dug manually and can be several meters underground.