More than 100 workers may have been killed in a landslide at an illegal mine near the Central African Republic's border with Cameroon, authorities said. The disaster struck Tuesday afternoon at the Zamboye mining site, about 50 kilometers (31 miles) from the town of Baboua, burying dozens of laborers who were working in the open-pit mine.

The death toll has ranged from 'at least 30' initially to 'over 100,' with local authorities saying the window for survival is quickly closing for the many miners still trapped. Video posted on social media showed bodies churning in the earth as the landslide lunged into the pit, burying everything in its path.

Frantic rescue efforts continued on Wednesday, with reports of mud-covered young men and women pulling bodies from the collapsed entrance, while others screamed for help. The Baboua public prosecutor's office said the collapse was caused by 'the collapse of several underground tunnels in which miners were operating' and announced an investigation.

CAR government spokesman Evariste Ngamana expressed sympathy and pledged the government was 'working hard to provide relief and assistance.' Improvised 'artisanal' mines in the gold-rich region are often illegal and shoddily built, with little or no safety standards, putting the thousands of laborers who use their hands to mine for gold every day at risk.

Serious accidents are a regular occurrence and usually very deadly. Dozens of miners have been killed in landslides in the area since the beginning of the year. This tragedy underscores the perilous conditions faced by informal miners in the region.

Source: www.dw.com