---
title: "Landslide at Gold Mine in CAR: At Least 100 Dead, No Official Figures Yet"
description: "In the Central African Republic, at least 100 people were killed in a landslide at a gold mine 50 km from the town of Bafou. Official figures on the victims are not yet available, and rescue operations are ongoing."
date: 2026-08-19T22:59:07.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/landslide-gold-mine-car-100-dead
tags: [central-african-republic, gold-mine, landslide, mining-accident, babua]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Landslide at Gold Mine in CAR: At Least 100 Dead, No Official Figures Yet

![Open-pit gold mine in the Central African Republic: workers dig soil by hand on a steep slope amid sand mounds ahead of the deadly landslide](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/20/opolzn-zolotoy-ru-dnik-car-100-pogibshih/opolzn-zolotoy-ru-dnik-car-100-pogibshih-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- On August 18, a landslide struck a gold mine 50 km from Bafou (CAR); according to preliminary AFP data, at least 100 people were killed.
- A local official was unable to provide official figures on the number of victims; rescue operations and the recovery of bodies from under the rubble are ongoing.
- The accident was the latest in a series: in June, dozens of people died at the Bimbari mine, in March seven died in Ngoumoum, and in February at least 20 died in Goré.

In the eastern part of the Central African Republic (CAR), at noon on August 18 local time, a massive landslide struck a gold mine located approximately 50 kilometers from the town of Bafou. According to AFP, citing local sources, at least 100 people were killed in the collapse, with many more injured. In photos provided by the Anadolu agency, dozens of miners can be seen working in the open-pit workings of a gold mine in this same eastern region — a typical scene of the illegal mining that characterizes the country.

### The Year's Largest Mining Disaster in CAR

A local official who spoke to the media acknowledged that it is extremely difficult to provide official figures on the number of victims at this time. This means that the preliminary figure of 100 deaths, reported by AFP, may be revised as rescue operations progress. The incident is being described by observers as the largest mining accident in the country this year, and it caps off a series of recurring disasters at mines scattered across the mineral-rich CAR.

### Rescue Operations Ongoing

Cédric Mbango, a miner from the area, described what happened as a "catastrophe." In his words, the ground completely collapsed and buried everyone who was on site: "At the time I was speaking, people were still trapped under the rubble. Rescue operations are ongoing." Thus, at the time of writing, the death toll remains unconfirmed, and witnesses say that additional bodies may still be lying beneath the debris, not yet recovered.

### A Series of Accidents at Illegal Mines

Landslides and collapses regularly occur at sites of illegal mineral extraction that lie outside state control. This is not an isolated incident: in June, a similar collapse at the Bimbari gold mine in the border region with Cameroon claimed the lives of dozens of people. In March, landslides at a mine in the village of Ngoumoum in western CAR killed seven people, and in February at least 20 people died in the Goré area in the northeast of the country. In total, in the first months of 2026, more than a hundred people have reportedly died at mines in the CAR.

### Conflicting Data

There is a significant discrepancy between sources regarding how confirmed the key figure is. AFP, relying on local sources, immediately reported at least 100 dead, and regional media recorded the same estimate. However, a local official publicly stated that official figures on the victims cannot be given at this time. Thus, the figure of "100" is preliminary and has not been confirmed by state authorities; the final toll may turn out to be either higher or lower depending on the results of the excavation. Until an official summary is published, both versions — "at least 100" and "figures being verified" — should be considered equally valid.

### Context: A Disaster Against a Backdrop of Illegal Mining

The recurring accidents expose a systemic problem: a significant portion of gold mining in the CAR is carried out in an artisanal and illegal manner, with no safety oversight whatsoever, making collapses virtually inevitable. Experts point out that the lack of state supervision, the poverty of the population, and the high dependence on the mining economy create a persistent cycle of disasters. The incident near Bafou once again raises the question of whether the CAR government will be able to bring the illegal mines under control, or whether the series of deadly collapses will continue.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [At least 100 people were killed in a landslide at a gold mine in the Central African Republic.](https://www.vietnam.vn/ru/sat-lo-mo-vang-o-cong-hoa-trung-phi-it-nhat-100-nguoi-thiet-mang) - Источник транслирует данные AFP о минимум 100 погибших и цитату чиновника о невозможности назвать официальные цифры; совпадает с основным текстом по дате (18 августа), месту (50 км от Бабуа) и серии предыдущих аварий (Бе-Мбари, Нгуррум, Горди).

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: Where and when did the landslide occur?
**A:** The incident took place at noon on August 18 local time at a gold mine approximately 50 km from the town of Bafou in the eastern part of the Central African Republic.

### Q: How many people died?
**A:** According to AFP, citing local sources, at least 100 people were killed and many were injured. A local official stated that official figures on the victims are difficult to provide at this time, so the number is preliminary.

### Q: Are rescue operations still ongoing?
**A:** Yes. According to miner Cédric Mbango, at the time of his statement people were still trapped under the rubble, and rescue operations were continuing.

### Q: Is this an isolated incident?
**A:** No. It is the latest in a series of accidents: in June, a collapse at the Bimbari mine claimed the lives of dozens of people, in March seven people died in the village of Ngoumoum, and in February at least 20 died in the Goré area.