An artisanal gold mine in the Central African Republic (CAR) collapsed on Tuesday, killing more than 100 workers.
The death toll increased from about 30 to 107 as rescue teams pulled more bodies from the rubble in recent hours.
Al Jazeera, citing Red Cross volunteers and local news reports, said the landslide happened in Zamboye, a village in Baboua, which is in the west of the country, not far from eastern Cameroon.
Authorities believe the number of dead could rise since many people are still missing or trapped under the debris.
“Finding them alive would be a miracle. We are saddened and heartbroken to see young men and women perish after coming to the mines to save their families from despair,” said Bertrand Be Yang, a city official.
The cause of the landslide is still unclear. But it is thought to be linked to the collapse of several underground tunnels that the miners were using.
One miner, Cedric Mbango, told the AFP news agency, “the ground completely collapsed and buried people. As I speak to you, other people are still buried.”
Local news in CAR reported that the authorities have started an investigation into the cause of the landslide.
The governor of Cameroon’s East Region, Grégoire Mvongo, told state media that at least three victims were from Cameroon.
He mentioned that the bodies of those who died are being sent back home for burial, and those injured in Zamboï are getting medical treatment.
Evariste Ngamana, the CAR government spokesman, expressed sympathy for the families of the victims.
He also stated that authorities are “working hard to provide relief and assistance” to the affected people.
Mine collapses happen often in the republic. In June, a collapse at the Be-Mbari gold mining site, near the Cameroon border, killed many people.
A landslide in mid-March also killed seven people at a mine in the village of Ngourroum, located in the west of CAR.
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