Sudan gold mine collapse toll rises to 82, dozens remain missing under rubble

At least 82 people have been confirmed dead after a gold mine collapsed in Sudan’s West Kordofan region, with dozens more still missing as rescuers struggle to reach miners trapped beneath tonnes of soil and rubble. The latest toll, given by a local administration official on Wednesday, is higher than an earlier count of at least 67 deaths reported by the Sudan Doctors Network and survivors. The disaster occurred at the al-Zara gold mine near Nuhud, an area controlled by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has been fighting the Sudanese military since April 2023. Search operations were continuing, raising fears that the toll could climb further.

Toll climbs to 82

A local administration official said 82 bodies had been recovered by Wednesday, while dozens of miners remained unaccounted for. Accounts of when the disaster began have varied, with the official saying one shaft started collapsing on Sunday before the failure spread through interconnected shafts. Survivors and medical groups initially reported that the major collapse occurred on Tuesday. The Kordofan Observatory, which monitors developments in the region, said the mining area extends for more than a kilometre across fragile sandy ground, increasing the danger for miners and rescuers.

Rescue equipment scarce

The search has been severely hampered by a shortage of equipment. According to the local official, rescuers have access to only one privately owned forklift, while survivors said heavy machinery was urgently required to remove huge quantities of soil and rock. Some miners are believed to have been working at depths exceeding 30 metres when the shafts gave way. Survivors and local residents have been using rudimentary mining tools to search through the debris as specialised rescue resources remain scarce.

Informal mining risks

The Sudan Doctors Network said the al-Zara operation was an informal mining site employing unregulated workers and lacked basic safety and protective measures. Sudan is a major African gold producer, but much of its production comes from artisanal and small-scale operations where miners frequently work in unstable shafts with limited safety equipment. Fatal accidents have occurred repeatedly, including a mine collapse that killed 14 workers in 2023 and another that left 38 dead in 2021.

Gold fuels war economy

The disaster comes against the backdrop of Sudan’s devastating war between the army and the RSF. Gold has become an increasingly important source of revenue as the conflict has wrecked much of the formal economy. The RSF controls important gold-producing areas across Darfur and Kordofan, while experts commissioned by the United Nations have previously documented the role of gold smuggling in financing armed networks.

Sudan’s conflict has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced millions and pushed parts of the country towards famine. The mine disaster adds another humanitarian crisis to a country where the continuing war has severely weakened government institutions, emergency services and the ability to regulate dangerous industries.