Central African Republic: over 100 dead in the collapse of a gold mine in Zamboye.

The mayor of Garoua-Boulaï, a neighboring Cameroonian town, reported 107 bodies accounted for. Other officials quoted by the Associated Press and Agence France-Presse mentioned “at least 100 dead,” without a consolidated national count having been published yet.

The search continues with limited resources. Volunteers from the Red Cross and locals are participating in the operations, but the lack of heavy equipment is slowing down the retrieval of bodies and the search for potential survivors.

The prosecutor’s office announced the opening of an investigation into the circumstances of the tragedy. The Central African Minister of Mines expressed condolences to the families and indicated that several foreign nationals were among the victims.

A site near the Cameroonian border

Zamboye is located about 50 kilometers from Baboua, not far from the border with Cameroon. The site attracts artisanal miners from several countries in the sub-region, who often work in tunnels dug without appropriate safety measures.

Collapses are frequent in Central African artisanal mines, particularly during the rainy season when the ground becomes unstable. The remoteness of the sites and the lack of rescue resources make it difficult to establish tolls quickly.

According to authorities quoted by the Associated Press, at least four Cameroonians and two Chadians had been identified among the dead by Thursday morning. Teams continued to clear the site to find the missing persons reported.