At least 60 dead, dozens feared trapped after gold mine collapses in Sudan

New Delhi,UPDATED: Sep 16, 2026 16:46 IST

At least 60 people have died after a gold mine in Sudan's West Kordofan state collapsed on Sunday, reported Reuters, citing souces. The Kordofan Observatory said more than 70 artisanal miners were dead or missing after connected shafts gave way at the al-Zara mine in the Fouja area, north-west of al-Nuhud.

The local group said some miners could still be alive underground and called for immediate rescue work. It said the response at the remote site remained limited even as the scale of the collapse became clearer.

Quoting eyewitnesses, the Kordofan Observatory said a survivor emerged on Tuesday and said that others were still alive below the surface. The group said no specialised rescue teams had arrived, while loose, sandy soil was making it hard for local residents to pull out miners and recover bodies using basic tools.

The three local sources told Reuters that the large number of deaths at the mine was linked to a lack of safety measures and rescue equipment. Sudan is one of Africa's biggest gold producers, but much of its gold is mined in hazardous artisanal operations and later smuggled out of the country. Gold mining is also a key source of income for the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which control the state.

The collapse at the al-Zara mine has left at least 60 people dead, while the Kordofan Observatory said more than 70 miners were dead or missing. The group also warned that some of those trapped underground could still be alive as rescue efforts remained limited.

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Inputs from Reuters