Bangui: Eight people were killed on Thursday when an artisanal mine collapsed in the northwestern region of the Central African Republic, according to local miners at the scene.

The disaster occurred in Nourroum, the provincial capital of the Ouham-Pendé prefecture. In addition to the fatalities, five other individuals sustained injuries when the earth gave way.

"The victims were deep inside the mine, digging, when the collapse happened. We were speechless and helpless," Alban Moussa Yakata, a mine operator in Nourroum, told The Associated Press.

The Ministry of Mines and Geology has not yet responded to inquiries regarding the accident.

Such collapses are a recurring tragedy in the Central African Republic, where thousands of citizens rely on small-scale, manual extraction for their livelihoods. These operations are fraught with danger, as miners typically lack even basic protective equipment or structural reinforcements. While the government issues official licenses to cooperatives to manage these sites, oversight remains minimal, and safety standards are rarely enforced.

With inputs from AP