At Least 100 Dead in Gold Mine Collapse in Central African Republic
A catastrophic landslide at an artisanal gold mining site in the Central African Republic has left a death toll surpassing 100 people after underground tunnels gave way.
Recovery efforts are continuing at an artisanal gold mining site in western Central African Republic following a catastrophic landslide that local officials, aid workers, and a senior mining association official confirmed has left a death toll surpassing 100 people.
The disaster struck on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, in the village of Zamboye, situated in the Nana-Mambéré prefecture roughly 31 miles from the town of Baboua and close to the border with Cameroon. An avalanche of sand descended upon a large crowd gathered near the sprawling site, plunging down the terrain and burying individuals in its path.
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Harrowing footage circulated on social media captured the mass of earth engulfing the area. Subsequent videos depicted miners covered in mud desperately pulling bodies from the pit while bystanders and workers scattered across the expansive location shouted for help.
A statement released by the Baboua sub-prefecture court detailed that the catastrophe was triggered when several underground tunnels in which miners were operating gave way, causing the surrounding ground to collapse entirely. A local miner at the site, Cedric Mbango, described the incident to AFP as catastrophic, stating that the ground completely collapsed and buried people.
Conflicting figures emerged in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy. Early estimates from the German Press Agency cited by the Cyprus Mail initially placed the dead at 33 and located the accident near the border town of Garoua Boulai. Meanwhile, Mines and Geology Minister Rufin Benam-Beltoungou stated that nearly 50 people were confirmed dead, specifying that the toll included 34 Central Africans, 13 Cameroonians, and two Chadians. By contrast, local sources, a Red Cross volunteer, and a senior official at a local mining association maintained that the death toll had climbed past 100.
Local communities have been deeply shaken by the scale of the loss. Bertrand Be Yangué, a member of the Zamboye youth council, stated that finding anyone else alive would be a miracle, noting that young men and women had perished after coming to the mines to save their families from despair. Gervais Ganagoroh, a local Red Cross volunteer involved in relief efforts, reported that volunteers were continually recovering bodies as the hours passed, while several survivors sustained critical injuries.
Survivors and relief workers voiced acute concerns regarding the adequacy of the response. Jérémie Ngbiri, a miner who lost his brother and a friend in the collapse, told The Mirror that the rescue effort was not up to the task, noting that responders lacked the necessary equipment and expertise and that some victims had suffocated while attempts were made to save them. Additionally, local media in the Central African Republic reported that the deployment of heavy machinery, including tractors, risked jeopardizing the retrieval of anyone still alive beneath the earth.
The disaster highlights the enduring perils of artisanal mining across the region. Thousands of individuals rely on small-scale, low-tech mining to escape poverty, often digging narrow wells and manual pits several meters deep without adequate reinforcement or safety standards. Shifting ground frequently causes sudden collapses, adding to a grim tally that includes at least 40 fatalities from prior mining incidents in the country earlier in the year.
What Happens Next
- Judicial Inquiry: The Baboua sub-prefecture court announced that a formal investigation has been opened to establish the precise causes of the cave-in, identify the victims, determine who was operating the site, and assess any potential criminal liability.
- Cross-Border Coordination: Authorities in Cameroon's Eastern region, including Governor Grégoire Mvongo, engaged in close collaboration with Central African counterparts to manage the aftermath, handle cross-border victim identification, and provide medical care to injured individuals crossing the border. Cameroonian authorities also confirmed readiness to receive and treat the injured.
- Site Closure and Recovery: The Central African Republic's Ministry of Mines ordered the closure of the Zamboye mining site as search and rescue operations continued amidst expectations that the final casualty count may rise further.
