According to local officials and activists in West Kordofan State, Sudan, a gold mine collapse incident has resulted in the death toll rising to 82 people, with dozens more still missing.
Survivors reported that the accident occurred at the al-Zara gold mine in Nuhud, West Kordofan State. The area is currently controlled by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a quasi-military organization that has been engaged in warfare with the Sudanese army for over three years.
The tragedy unfolded on Tuesday night, as per survivors and medical networks. However, a local official mentioned that the collapse actually occurred on Sunday, starting from one of the mine shafts and spreading to interconnected tunnels.
At present, only a privately-owned forklift is available for rescue efforts, making it more challenging to locate and save survivors, stated the official.
Suleiman Abu Hmeida of the Emergency Response Rooms informed the press that as of Wednesday afternoon, rescuers have recovered 82 bodies of the deceased, yet dozens of individuals still remain unaccounted for.
A local official also confirmed the discovery of 82 bodies of the deceased.
The Sudan Doctors Network, a medical organization monitoring the conflict situation in Sudan, warned that the death toll may rise further as rescue teams continue to search for those trapped under the rubble. They highlighted that the mine site operated informally, employing unregulated workers and lacking fundamental safety and protective measures.
This marks the latest tragedy in Sudan, a country engulfed in conflict. Despite being a major gold-producing nation, Sudan often witnesses mine collapse incidents due to insufficiently implemented safety standards, resulting in loss of lives. A collapse in 2023 claimed the lives of 14 miners, while a 2021 incident took 38 lives.