Omanghana
At least 82 people have been killed following the collapse of an informal gold mine near Al-Nuhud in Sudan’s West Kordofan state, according to local officials and community responders.
The disaster occurred at the Al-Zaraa mine, where the collapse of one shaft reportedly spread to several interconnected tunnels while dozens of artisanal miners were working underground.
Suleiman Abu Hmeida, a member of Sudan’s Emergency Response Rooms, said rescuers had recovered 82 bodies by Wednesday afternoon. A local administration official confirmed the same figure, but dozens of miners remained unaccounted for.
Reports indicated that about 50 people were injured, while fears were growing that the death toll could rise as rescue teams continued searching beneath the rubble.
The operation has been severely hampered by a lack of specialised equipment. Survivors, residents and local volunteers have relied largely on basic tools and manual labour to remove loose soil and stones from the collapsed shafts.
Only one privately owned forklift was reportedly available to support the rescue effort. Workers said proper machinery was needed to reach miners believed to be trapped at depths exceeding 30 metres.
The mine reportedly stretches across more than a kilometre of fragile, sandy ground. Its closely connected shafts allowed the initial collapse to spread rapidly to neighbouring tunnels.
The precise timing of the disaster remained unclear, with local accounts differing over whether the first collapse occurred on Sunday or Tuesday.
The Sudan Doctors Network initially reported a lower death toll but warned that the number would increase as more bodies were recovered. The organisation said the informal mine lacked basic safety and protective measures.
Al-Zaraa is among thousands of small-scale and unregulated gold mines operating across Sudan. Many of the sites lack proper engineering, safety inspections, protective equipment and emergency response systems.
West Kordofan is controlled by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which has been at war with the Sudanese military since April 2023.
The conflict has devastated Sudan’s economy, displaced millions and pushed more people into dangerous artisanal mining as they search for ways to survive. Gold has also become a major source of income for armed groups controlling mineral-rich territories.
Fatal mine collapses are common in Sudan. A similar incident killed 14 miners in 2023, while another collapse claimed 38 lives in 2021.
Rescue workers continued searching for the missing as families gathered near the site awaiting information about their relatives.
Source: Omanghana
