At least 30 people have died after an artisanal gold mine collapsed in western Central African Republic, near the border with Cameroon, according to local officials.
Cameroonian media reported the incident occurred on Tuesday in the village of Zamboye, a few kilometers from Garoua-Boulai, a town in eastern Cameroon. Souleymane Bi, deputy mayor of the Nana-Mambere district, said on Wednesday that rescuers and local residents had recovered 30 bodies from the collapsed mine over several hours, and that injured miners were receiving treatment.
“It is terrible; we appeal for help from organizations and all people of goodwill,” Bi said.
A local civil servant told AFP that about 40 people had died at the site. However, Laurent Ngon Baba, a local official in Baboua, said: “At this stage, it is difficult for us to give an official figure.”
A miner at the scene, Cedric Mbango, described the event as “catastrophic.” He told AFP: “The ground entirely collapsed and buried people. Right now, there are still people buried. Rescue efforts are underway.”
Government spokesperson Evariste Ngamana expressed sympathy to the victims' families and said authorities are “making efforts to provide relief and support” to those affected.
Artisanal mine collapses are common in the Central African Republic, where thousands of people work in small-scale mines beyond government control. The work is risky because miners often lack proper protective equipment, and accidents are frequently deadly.
In June, a collapse at the Be-Mbari gold mine, also near the Cameroon border, killed dozens. In mid-March, a landslide killed 7 people at a mine in the village of Ngourroum, western Central African Republic. In February, 20 more people died in Gordi, in the northeast.
