An artisanal gold mine collapsed on August 18 in the village of Zamboye, about 50 kilometers from Baboua in western Central African Republic near the Cameroon border [1, 2, 3, 4]. The collapse, caused by a landslide and the failure of underground tunnels, buried many miners working inside [1, 3].
Local officials, aid workers, and media sources report more than 100 deaths, though some sources cite a lower toll of 30 to 40, reflecting uncertainty in the exact number [1, 5, 3, 4, 2]. Authorities continue to search for survivors amid diminishing hopes. Miner Cedric Mbango said, "The ground completely collapsed and buried people. As I speak to you, other people are still buried. Rescue attempts are under way" [1, 2].
The miners involved were mostly artisanal and small-scale operators from the Central African Republic and Cameroon. At least three to four Cameroonian nationals were among the victims [1, 2, 3].
Rescue teams have been using heavy machinery since the day after the collapse to recover bodies and search for survivors [1, 2, 3]. Officials from both Central African Republic and Cameroon are cooperating on the emergency response. Gregoire Mvongo, governor of Cameroon's eastern region, said, "We are working in close collaboration with our Central African colleagues to deal with the aftermath of this tragedy" [1].
A judicial inquiry into the accident has been opened to investigate the causes and circumstances surrounding the disaster [1, 3]. Local authorities and miners describe the incident as catastrophic amid a largely unregulated mining environment. Laurent Ngon Baba, a local official in Baboua, said, "At this stage it’s difficult for us to establish a formal toll" [2].
Politicians criticized the government’s failure to regulate artisanal mining. Martin Ziguele, leader of the Movement for the Liberation of the Centrafrican People, said, "The government bears direct responsibility for the occurrence of these tragedies" [3]. Cameroonian opposition leader Maurice Kamto added, "The accident exposed the inhumanity of those who grow rich from the illegal exploitation of minerals. They show absolutely no concern for the conditions in which compatriots, driven by destitution, work at unregulated mining sites, without the slightest safety measures" [3].
Authorities continue rescue and recovery efforts at the site and are expected to release further updates as the judicial inquiry progresses [1, 3].
