A catastrophic gold mine collapse in Sudan's West Kordofan province has resulted in the deaths of at least 67 people, with dozens more feared trapped beneath the rubble. The incident occurred at the informal al-Zara gold mine, near the town of Nuhud, an area under the control of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Rescue Efforts Hampered by Lack of Equipment
The disaster began on Sunday when one shaft gave way, quickly spreading to interconnected tunnels. Initial reports on Wednesday indicated the high death toll, which a medical group tracking the conflict, the Sudan Doctors Network, warned could still rise significantly as search operations continue. A local administration official cited by the Associated Press reported 82 bodies recovered, while another survivor stated 60 bodies had been found by Wednesday morning. The Kordofan Observatory, a monitoring group, estimated at least 70 miners were either killed or missing.
Rescue efforts face severe challenges due to a critical lack of heavy machinery. Survivors described the collapse as "massive," with one, Khairal-Sayed Gabara, lamenting the absence of equipment needed to remove soil and rocks from depths exceeding 30 meters. "There were dozens of people working in the mine," he recounted.
Risks of Informal Gold Mining in Sudan
The al-Zara mine is characteristic of thousands of small-scale, unregulated gold operations across Sudan, a major gold-producing nation. These informal sites often lack fundamental safety measures and protective equipment for workers, making them highly prone to accidents.
Tragically, deadly mine collapses are not uncommon in the country. Just last year, in 2023, 14 miners lost their lives in a similar incident, and another collapse in 2021 killed 38 people. The al-Zara mine itself stretches for over a kilometer through fragile, sandy soil, exacerbating the inherent dangers for those working within its unstable shafts.
The ongoing conflict in Sudan further complicates rescue and regulatory oversight, leaving many miners vulnerable to such devastating accidents without adequate support or safety protocols.