A landslide at a gold mining area in Zambo\u00ef in western Central African Republic (CAR), near the border with Cameroon, has killed more than 100 people, an official has told the BBC.<\/p>\n
Videos shared online appear to show a slope collapsing on to a crowd of people at the site as others ran to safety.<\/p>\n
Adamou Abdon, the mayor of Garoua-Boula\u00ef, a Cameroonian border town, told the BBC it happened on Tuesday afternoon.<\/p>\n
Rescue efforts are under way amid fears the death toll could rise.<\/p>\n
It is not immediately clear what triggered the landslide at the mine. Abdon said that so far "107 lifeless bodies [had been] removed from the rubble".<\/p>\n
A miner at the site, Cedric Mbango, told the AFP news agency: "The ground completely collapsed and buried people.<\/p>\n
"As I speak to you, other people are still buried."<\/p>\n
At least three of the victims are Cameroonian, the governor of Cameroon's East Region has told state media.<\/p>\n
Gr\u00e9goire Mvongo said their bodies were being repatriated home for burial, while measures were being taken to cater for those who had sustained injuries in Zambo\u00ef.<\/p>\n
According to AFP, survivors were being taken to hospital in Baboua, a town in CAR about 50km (31 miles) from the mining site.<\/p>\n
Local media in the CAR say the authorities have opened an investigation into what may have caused the landslide.<\/p>\n
AFP quotes a statement from the public prosecutor in Baboua as saying it is thought "the collapse of several underground tunnels in which miners were operating" was to blame.<\/p>\n
Artisanal mining, a labour-intensive method of extracting minerals, is the main source of income for many households in the region.<\/p>\n
Working conditions are poor, with miners often exposed to health and environmental risks.<\/p>\n
Mine collapses and landslides are not uncommon as pits are usually left unsealed and torrential rains weaken the soil.<\/p>\n