Gold mine collapses in northern Sudan, at least 10 dead

A gold mine in northern Sudan has collapsed, resulting in at least 10 deaths and 21 injuries , according to survivors of the incident.

The collapse occurred on Saturday in mines located in the Awny area, near the border with Sudan and Egypt, with the bodies of 10 people being retrieved from the rubble by Sunday morning, while 21 injured miners were rescued from the site.

One of the survivors stated that the rescue operation was mainly carried out by the miners themselves , as they lacked sufficient equipment to facilitate the search and removal of those trapped under the rubble.

There were also concerns that other miners might still be trapped under the rocks and soil as the search continued.

This incident once again highlighted the dangers of unregulated small-scale mining in Sudan, as many people, especially youth, rely on mining work using simple tools, leading to frequent collapses of inadequately supported mines.

This incident also occurred within a week of another collapse in the Kordofan region, where at least 82 people were reported dead in a gold mine, with dozens more injured.

Gold mining is crucial to Sudan's economy, with small-scale mining providing jobs for over two million people, according to industry data.

However, the ongoing conflict in Sudan since April 2023 has worsened the situation, with gold also becoming an important economic resource for the warring factions in the country.