Zamboye, Central African Republic (Running Africa) — At least 30 people have been killed after an artisanal gold mine collapsed in western Central African Republic, with rescue teams continuing to search for survivors as authorities warn the death toll could rise.
The disaster occurred on Tuesday, August 18, in the village of Zamboye, near the border with Cameroon, when the ground reportedly gave way and buried dozens of artisanal miners.
Local officials said residents and rescue teams spent several hours recovering bodies from the site, while injured miners were taken for medical treatment.
Some estimates suggest as many as 40 people may have died, with others feared trapped beneath the collapsed mine.
At Least 30 Killed in Central African Republic Mine Collapse
Witnesses described scenes of devastation after the ground suddenly collapsed while miners were working at the site.
At least 30 bodies have been recovered, according to local officials, although authorities cautioned that the number could increase as search teams reach more areas of the mine.
The number of people underground when the collapse occurred remains unclear, complicating efforts to establish the full scale of the disaster.
Rescue operations continued into Wednesday as teams searched for possible survivors and worked to recover additional bodies.
Rescuers Search for Miners Trapped in Zamboye
Residents joined emergency teams in the immediate aftermath of the collapse, spending hours digging through the site and recovering victims.
Those found alive with injuries were transported for medical treatment.
The possibility that miners remain trapped underground has kept the operation focused on both rescue and recovery, while officials attempt to determine how many people were working at the mine when it collapsed.
Witnesses said the ground gave way with little warning, burying dozens of workers.
Government Mobilises Relief After Deadly Gold Mine Accident
Central African Republic government spokesman Evariste Ngamana expressed condolences to the families of those killed and said authorities were mobilizing assistance following the disaster.
The government response is expected to focus initially on supporting rescue operations, treating survivors and assisting affected families.
Attention is also likely to turn to the circumstances surrounding the collapse and the safety conditions at the artisanal mining site.
Artisanal Gold Mining Accidents Remain Deadly in CAR
The Zamboye disaster is the latest in a series of fatal artisanal mining accidents in the Central African Republic, where informal gold mining provides livelihoods for many communities but can expose workers to dangerous conditions.
A similar mine collapse near the Cameroon border in June killed dozens of people, while a mining-related landslide in March left seven dead.
Artisanal mines often rely on manually excavated pits and tunnels, where unstable ground and limited safety infrastructure can increase the risk of collapses, particularly when sites are heavily worked or affected by weather conditions.
Death Toll Could Rise as Search Continues
With at least 30 people confirmed dead and some estimates putting the possible toll at 40, the Zamboye gold mine collapse could become one of the Central African Republic’s deadliest mining disasters in recent months.
Search teams remained at the site on Wednesday as families waited for information about miners still unaccounted for.
The tragedy has once again highlighted the human cost of unsafe artisanal mining in the country, where gold provides an important source of income but dangerous working conditions continue to put miners’ lives at risk.
