A landslide at an artisanal gold mine in the Central African Republic (CAR) on Tuesday may have killed at least 100 people, according to local sources cited by AFP. The incident occurred at the Zamboye mining site, close to the border with Cameroon, and rescue operations were still under way as of Wednesday.
Video footage posted on social media appears to show a large mass of earth breaking away from the side of the mine and sliding down onto a group of miners, burying several of them. The exact number of casualties remains unclear, with officials cautioning that the toll could rise.
Officials struggle to confirm death toll
Laurent Ngon Baba, an elected official from the nearby town of Baboua, told AFP on Wednesday: “At this stage it's difficult for us to establish a formal toll.” His comments reflect the challenges of coordinating rescue efforts in a remote area with limited infrastructure.
The public prosecutor in Baboua said the disaster was likely caused by “the collapse of several underground tunnels in which miners were operating.” Such tunnels are common in artisanal mining, where workers often dig without proper safety measures.
One miner at the site described the event as “catastrophic.” He added: “The ground completely collapsed and buried people.”
The Zamboye site is part of a broader pattern of unregulated gold mining in the region, which attracts thousands of workers seeking a livelihood despite the dangers. The CAR is one of the world's poorest countries, and mining provides a rare source of income for many rural communities.
This tragedy echoes similar incidents across Africa, where artisanal mines frequently lack oversight. In recent years, deadly collapses have been reported in countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The European Union has funded initiatives to improve safety and formalise artisanal mining in several African nations, but progress remains slow. The bloc's broader engagement with the region focuses on conflict minerals and supply-chain transparency, as seen in its efforts to make public procurement greener.
Meanwhile, the CAR government has yet to issue an official statement on the disaster. Local authorities are coordinating with mining cooperatives and community volunteers to search for survivors.
The incident highlights the human cost of the global gold trade, which often relies on informal networks that bypass safety regulations. European consumers and businesses, as major importers of gold, are increasingly being urged to consider the ethical implications of their purchases.
As rescue teams continue their work, the full scale of the tragedy may not be known for days. For now, the focus remains on finding those still trapped and supporting the families of the victims.
