More than 100 people have died after an artisanal gold mine collapsed following a landslide in the Central African Republic, local officials and aid workers said Wednesday.
The disaster occurred Tuesday afternoon in the village of Zamboye, about 50 kilometers from Baboua, near the border with Cameroon. Videos shared on social media appeared to show a massive wave of sand sweeping over an area where miners were working.
A local prosecutor said several people were trapped beneath the debris, although an initial statement did not provide a death toll. However, Red Cross volunteer Gervais Ganagoroh said more than 100 bodies had been recovered during rescue operations. A senior official from a local mining association also confirmed the figure.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the tragedy. A prosecutor in Baboua said the collapse was likely caused by the failure of several underground tunnels where miners were operating, triggering the deadly landslide.
