At least 60 miners were killed when the Al‑Zaraa gold mine collapsed near El‑Nahud in Sudan’s West Kordofan on Tuesday.

Rescue operations intensify

Emergency crews from the Sudanese interior ministry, the Red Crescent and local volunteers have been working through the night to clear debris and locate survivors. Officials say dozens of workers remain missing, and the death toll could rise as the search continues.

According to Euronews, the disaster unfolded after tunnels were dug in close proximity, weakening the structural integrity of the shaft. The mine, which operates informally and supplies a significant portion of the region’s gold output, had no formal safety inspections.

Families gathered at the site as dust settled, their cries echoing through the narrow corridors. One survivor, pulled from the rubble by a rescue team, described the moment as “a sudden roar and everything shaking”. The scene was littered with overturned tools, broken lamps and the bodies of miners who had been working the night shift.

Sudan’s interior minister, Mohamed al‑Khalifa, told reporters that a “massive mobilisation” of resources had been deployed, including heavy machinery and medical units. He urged the public to avoid the area, warning that further collapses were possible if unstable sections were not secured.

Mining practices under scrutiny

The tragedy highlights the precarious nature of Sudan’s informal mining sector, which has expanded rapidly since the 2020s as gold prices surged. West Kordofan alone accounts for an estimated 30 % of the country’s gold production, much of it extracted by small‑scale operators without formal licences.

Human‑rights organisations have long warned that miners often work in hazardous conditions, with tunnels dug too close together and insufficient ventilation. The United Nations Development Programme estimated that more than 10 000 people are employed in informal gold mining across Sudan, many of them from impoverished rural communities.

Local authorities have pledged to investigate the collapse and consider stricter regulations. However, experts caution that any crackdown could push miners deeper into the shadows, reducing transparency and potentially increasing the risk of future accidents.For now, the focus remains on rescuing the missing and providing support to the bereaved families. The Red Crescent has set up temporary shelters in El‑Nahud, and the Sudanese government has announced a cash assistance package for victims’ dependants.

As rescue teams continue their painstaking work, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the human cost behind the country’s booming gold trade.