Dhul-bax toos ah oo geystay dhimasho culus oo ka dhacay xerada guri-guri ee Zamboye ee dalka Jamhuuriyadda Afrika Dhexe
18-kii August 2026, dhul-bax toos ah oo aad u xooggan ayaa ka dhacay xerada guri-guri ee Zamboye ee Nana-Mambéré, ku dhacay dad badan oo guri-guri ku jiray, waxaana la sheegay in 49 qof ay ku dhinteen, iyadoo 34-ka ka mid ah ay u dhashay Jamhuuriyadda Afrika Dhexe.
Goobta dhaca iyo sawirrada tooska ah ee dhul-baxa
Freddy Metchoubatchou, oo goobta ku jiray, wuxuu ka duubay dhul-baxa, kaas oo muujiyay in dhulku si degdeg ah u dhacay, dadkuna ay ku dhacmeen. Xerada Zamboye waxay ku taalaa Nana-Mambéré, 50-km u jirta magaalada Baboua, oo dhowdhow xadka Kameruun.
Qareennada Baboua waxay sheegeen in qololka hoose ee xeradu ay isku dhaceen, taas oo keentay dhul-baxa. Sawirrada cusub ee la soo bandhigay ayaa muujinaya waqtiga dhulku isku bedelay, dadkuna ay ku dhacmeen.
Dhibaatada daawashada iyo tirada dhimashada
Aqoon-yahannada daawashada waxay ku jiraan 21-kii August, laakiin tirada dadka hoose ku jiray ma la ogaaday. Dadka qaar ayaa la qaaday isbitaalka Baboua, iyadoo daaweyntu ay adkayd sababo la xiriira aaladaha iyo aqoonta.
Maamulka Guryaha waxay sheegeen in 49 qof ay ku dhinteen, 34-ka ka mid ah ay u dhashay Jamhuuriyadda Afrika Dhexe, 13-ka Kameruun, 2-ka Chad, iyadoo 7 qof oo dhaawac ah la qaaday isbitaalka.
Xiritaanka xerada iyo baaritaanka sharci-darrada
Dowladda waxay xirtay xerada Zamboye, waxaana la furay baaritaan sharci ah oo ku saabsan sababta dhul-baxa iyo sharci-darrada guri-guriga, sida guri-guriga sharci-darrada ah iyo shaqada aan la sheegin.
Guri-guriga waa mid muhiim ah oo dad badan ku maalgeliya, laakiin badankoodu ma leeyihiin aalado amniga iyo daaweynta degdegga ah. Dhacaan waxaa ka horreeyay dhul-bax kale oo ka dhacay xadka Kameruun bishii June.
A catastrophic landslide struck the Zamboye artisanal gold mine in the Central African Republic on 18 August 2026, burying workers and prompting a massive rescue operation. New footage captured the moment the ground gave way, engulfing people gathered at the site in Nana-Mambéré prefecture, about 50 kilometres from Baboua near the Cameroonian border.
Collapse and Immediate Aftermath
Freddy Metchoubatchou, who was on site when the disaster struck, filmed the collapse from close range, showing the ground suddenly giving way and engulfing people nearby. Prosecutors in Baboua said several underground tunnels may have collapsed, triggering the deadly event.
Rescue workers were still searching for victims as of 21 August 2026, but the number of people underground at the time remains unknown. Recovery efforts have been hampered by limited equipment and expertise at the site.
Casualty Toll and Nationalities Affected
Local officials, Red Cross volunteers and mining representatives initially reported more than 100 deaths in the disaster. The Mines Ministry later gave a provisional official toll of 49, including 34 Central African nationals, 13 Cameroonians and two Chadians.
Seven injured people were taken to hospital in Baboua following the collapse. The disaster follows another deadly mine collapse near the Cameroonian border in June, raising concerns about recurring safety failures in the region.
Mine Closed and Investigation Launched
Authorities have temporarily closed the mine and opened a judicial investigation into the cause of the collapse and possible breaches of mining regulations, including illegal mining and concealed employment.
Artisanal mining is a vital source of income for thousands of people in the Central African Republic, but many sites operate with limited safety equipment, structural reinforcement and emergency-rescue capacity.
