Central African Republic closes gold mine after collapse kills 49

Central African Republic authorities have ordered an artisanal gold mine near the ​Cameroonian border to be closed after ‌the mines minister said 49 people had died there in a deadly collapse.

Mines Minister Rufin Beltoungou said the government would formally ​suspend activity at the site in Zamboye until further notice following the disaster ​on Tuesday.

Beltoungou said the dead were 35 Central ​Africans, 12 Cameroonians and two Chadians.

A senior official at a local mining association had said on Wednesday ​that more than 100 people had ​been killed.

A prosecutor said rescue efforts were continuing  ‌and that the number of casualties was still being established.

Artisanal mining is a vital source of work and income across Africa, but informal operations often function with limited oversight, inadequate safety measures and little emergency capacity, making collapses and other fatal accidents frequent.

Cameroon has pledged to formalize parts of the sector, seeking to improve regulation, safety, and tax collection.