WATCH | Central African Republic mine collapse kills over 100, scores still missing

The death toll from the collapse of a mine in the Central African Republic continues to rise as over 100 bodies have been recovered and scores more are still missing.

The deadly landslide happened on Tuesday in Zamboye near the border with Cameroon at a site where thousands of artisanal miners work without protective gear to eke out a living.

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Rescuers are still hard at work to rescue those injured or trapped under the collapsed soil, and recover more bodies.

“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 Yangué, a member of the Zamboye youth council, reports NBC News.

According to AP, the landslide was caused by the collapse of several mine tunnels, as stated by the Baboua subprefecture court. Officials have opened an investigation to find the cause, identify victims, and determine potential criminal liability.

Informal and illegal mining is a problem in African countries where thousands of poor and unemployed men and women often endanger their lives to make money.