At least 82 people have died following the collapse of an informal gold mine in Sudan’s West Kordofan province, with dozens more still missing, according to local officials and activists.
The collapse occurred at the al-Zara gold mine in Nuhud, an area controlled by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). By Wednesday, September 16, 2026, rescuers had recovered 82 bodies, according to the Emergency Response Rooms, a grassroots network supporting communities affected by Sudan’s conflict.
A local official said the collapse began on Sunday, September 13, in one mine shaft before spreading to interconnected shafts. Rescue efforts have been hampered by a severe shortage of equipment, with only one privately owned forklift reportedly available. Survivors said rescuers lacked machinery capable of clearing soil and rocks at depths exceeding 30 metres, raising concerns that the death toll could increase.
The al-Zara mine is among thousands of small-scale and informal gold mines operating across Sudan, where safety regulations are often poorly enforced. Previous mine disasters killed 14 miners in 2023 and 38 people in 2021.
The latest disaster comes as Sudan remains embroiled in a conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF, which began in April 2023.