Landslide at makeshift gold mine in Central African Republic kills at least 100

A catastrophic landslide occurred on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, at approximately 2 p.m. local time, at a makeshift gold mine in Zaboye, located roughly 50 kilometers from the town of Bamboua in the western region of the Central African Republic. While initial reports from the German Press Agency cited 33 fatalities and identified the location as the border town of Garoua-Boulai in Cameroon, later accounts from local sources and Agence France-Presse revised the death toll to at least 100 individuals.

Search and rescue operations are currently underway as authorities and local volunteers work to recover victims trapped beneath the debris. The region, situated along the border of Cameroon and the Central African Republic, is rich in gold deposits, leading to frequent unauthorized and manual mining activities. These operations are characterized by poor safety standards, which historical data indicates has resulted in repeated, lethal accidents in the area. Ongoing recovery efforts continue as officials attempt to confirm the total number of miners present during the collapse.