A devastating landslide at a gold mining site in Zamboï, located in western Central African Republic near the Cameroon border, has resulted in over 100 fatalities, according to an official source.
Video footage circulating online depicts the sudden collapse of a slope onto a gathering of individuals, with others fleeing for safety.
Mayor Adamou Abdon of Garoua-Boulaï, a border town in Cameroon, confirmed to the BBC that the incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon.
Rescue operations are ongoing, with authorities fearing the death toll may increase further.
The trigger for the landslide has yet to be determined. So far, 107 bodies have been recovered from the debris, according to Abdon.
Cedric Mbango, a miner at the site, told AFP, “The ground completely collapsed and buried people. As I speak to you, others are still buried.”
At least three victims are confirmed to be from Cameroon, the governor of the East Region stated. Their bodies are being repatriated for burial, while injured individuals receive medical attention in Baboua, a town approximately 50km from the mining site.
Local media report authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the landslide.
The public prosecutor in Baboua, cited by AFP, suggests the collapse of multiple underground mining tunnels where workers were present may have caused the disaster.
Artisanal mining, a labor-intensive extraction method, is a primary income source for many in the region. However, working conditions are hazardous, with miners exposed to health and environmental risks. Such collapses and landslides are frequent due to unsealed pits and heavy rains weakening the soil.
