Over 100 Dead After Gold Mine Collapse in Central African Republic
Deadly Landslide Buries More Than 100 at Unlicensed Mine
More than 100 people died after an unlicensed artisanal gold mine collapsed in the village of Zamboye in western Central African Republic on August 18, 2026. A massive landslide, triggered by the collapse of underground tunnels, buried miners beneath tons of sand and rock.
The Catastrophe Strikes Near Cameroon Border
The fatal cave-in struck Tuesday afternoon roughly 50 kilometers from the town of Baboua, near the border with Cameroon. Social media footage reviewed by correspondents showed an avalanche of earth sweeping down upon a group of operators working the site. Gervais Ganagoroh, a Red Cross volunteer engaged in the recovery mission, confirmed to the Associated Press that rescue workers pulled more than 100 bodies from the debris. A senior official within a local mining association verified that same casualty count to Reuters.
A local public prosecutor stated that numerous individuals remained trapped beneath the heavy deluge of soil. Meanwhile, a second prosecutor from Baboua explained to the press that the disaster stemmed directly from the structural failure of multiple underground tunnels where miners operated. Cedric Mbango, a miner at the location, described the event to the AFP news agency as catastrophic, noting that the ground completely collapsed and buried people.
Cross-Border Recovery and Emergency Response
Emergency responders and local volunteers raced against time to locate survivors and retrieve the deceased, who included nationals of both the Central African Republic and Cameroon. Grégoire Mvongo, the governor of Cameroon’s eastern region, stated via state-owned radio that his administration was working in close collaboration with Central African counterparts to manage the aftermath. Authorities in Cameroon identified at least three of their citizens among the victims.
Systemic Dangers in Informal Extraction
Bertrand Be Yangué, a member of the Zamboye youth council, voiced the community’s grief over the loss of young workers drawn to the pits by economic desperation. Local media outlets such as Corbeau News reported that heavy machinery, including tractors, was deployed to assist the retrieval mission, though rescue coordinators warned that heavy equipment risked endangering anyone still trapped alive.
Small-scale artisanal mines remain widespread across parts of Africa despite laws criminalizing unlicensed extraction. Persistent unemployment pushes workers toward abandoned or marginal sites to support their households. Operations at these locations frequently lack basic safety standards, resulting in frequent accidents. At least 40 fatalities have been recorded in various mining incidents across the Central African Republic this year alone, according to historical tracking cited by The Guardian.
Ongoing Operations and Community Support
Recovery efforts remain active, and local authorities warn that the final death toll may climb further as excavation work proceeds.