Gold Mine Collapse in Eastern Sudan Kills at Least 50 Miners, Injures 7 Others

A gold mine in Sudan

At least 50 miners have died following the partial collapse of a gold mine in eastern Sudan, according to a statement released Sunday by Sudanese Mineral Resources Limited Company, the state-run entity overseeing the project.

The deadly incident occurred over the weekend at the Kersh al-Feel mine, located in the desert town of Houeid in the Nile River province. Seven additional miners sustained injuries and were transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Operations at the site have been halted, and the company has renewed its warning against unauthorized and informal mining activities, which remain widespread in the region despite repeated safety concerns.

Sudan is one of Africa’s leading gold producers, but fatal accidents at mining sites are frequent due to inadequate safety measures and poor enforcement of regulations. Many of these operations are conducted informally without proper oversight.

The latest collapse follows a string of similar tragedies. In 2023, 14 miners were killed in a comparable incident, while in 2021, 38 miners lost their lives after a mine collapsed in West Kordofan.

Authorities are continuing their investigation into the cause of the Kersh al-Feel collapse as pressure mounts to improve safety standards across the nation’s mining sector.