According to Al Jazeera's report on August 19th, a gold mine in the western border region of the Central African Republic collapsed on the 18th, resulting in the death of over 100 people. Local officials said it is difficult to determine the exact number of casualties at this stage, and the death toll is expected to rise further.
The accident occurred near the village of Zamboye in Nana-Mbera Province, Central African Republic, close to the border with Cameroon. Government spokesman Evairist Ngamana said that the Central African government is working hard to provide assistance and relief. Governor of eastern Cameroonian province Gregor Mongo said that they are working closely with the Central African government to jointly respond to the situation.
A senior official from the local mining association said that the accident has caused more than 100 deaths. Bertrand Be·Yanger, a member of the Zambojay Youth Council, stated that many people are still missing or trapped under the ruins, and the number of deaths is expected to increase further.
The miner Cedric Mbangoro told AFP that the accident was "catastrophic." "The ground has completely collapsed, burying many people. Just as we were speaking, there are still many people trapped underground, and the rescue efforts are ongoing."
A prosecutor stated that an investigation has been launched to determine the specific cause of the collapse accident and the person responsible for the gold mine operations.
Al Jazeera reported that in the Central African Republic, thousands of people engage in small-scale mining activities that are not regulated by the government. There are frequent collapses of small mines. Since miners often lack adequate safety measures, accidents often result in serious casualties. In June this year, a collapse occurred at the Bembari gold mine near the Cameroon border, resulting in the death of dozens of people.
