At least 67 people have died following a collapse at the al-Zara gold mine in Sudan, according to reports from a medical group and survivors. The disaster occurred on Wednesday in the town of Nuhud, located in West Kordofan province.
Survivors stated that the collapse happened late Tuesday, and many individuals remain missing under the rubble. Al-Amin Suliman, a miner at the site, confirmed that people were trapped inside the mine, which consists of several shafts. Khairal-Sayed Gabara, another survivor, described the event as “massive” and noted a lack of available machinery to remove the collapsed soil and debris efficiently.
The West Kordofan area is currently under the control of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, who have been engaged in a violent conflict with the country’s national military for over three years. Rescue operations are ongoing, and the medical group warned that the death toll is expected to increase as teams search for survivors and those still trapped beneath the rubble.
Sudan is a significant gold producer, but mining accidents are frequent due to poor safety standards. This incident follows similar tragedies in recent years, including a 2021 collapse that killed 38 miners and another in 2023 that claimed 14 lives.
Seventy-seven dead? And they say the toll will rise. How many more are still trapped under all that rubble?
This is a tragedy. The lack of proper rescue equipment in such a conflict zone makes everything so much worse.