At least 33 dead in gold mine landslide in Cameroon

Authorities say at least 33 people have died in a landslide at a gold mine on the border between Cameroon and the Central African Republic. It is assumed that numerous other miners were buried, said Julien Martial Asse, the local administrator of the Cameroon border town of Garoua-Boulaï, near which the mine is located.

The landslide at the artisanal mining site occurred on Tuesday afternoon. Rescue workers continued to search for victims on Wednesday. Some injured miners received medical care. The cause of the collapse and the number of miners who were prospecting for gold at the time of the accident initially remained unclear.

The border area between Cameroon and the Central African Republic is rich in gold. Large parts of gold mining in the region are carried out artisanally. Due to low safety standards, serious accidents occur again and again.