BANGUI: More than 100 people have been killed and several others injured after a gold mine collapsed in the Central African Republic, local officials said.
The accident occurred in the village of Zimbye, near the border with Cameroon. Rescue teams are still searching the site for survivors.
Officials said authorities are investigating the cause of the collapse. They are also working to identify those operating the mine.
A senior official from a local mining association said dozens of miners and workers were at the site when the mine collapsed. Some were heard calling for help.
Bertrand Beyange, a member of the Zimbye Youth Council, said the death toll could rise. Several people remain missing.
“Finding these people alive would be nothing short of a miracle,” Beyange said. He described the deaths as devastating.
He said young men and women had gone to work in the mines to help their families escape hardship and despair, only to lose their lives.
Cameroon has also offered medical assistance to those injured in the accident, officials said.
Small-scale mining provides a livelihood for millions of people across Africa. But weak regulation and poor safety standards often lead to deadly accidents.
The latest collapse highlights the risks faced by miners working in largely informal and poorly regulated operations.
