At least 67 people have been killed and many others remain missing after a gold mine collapsed in Sudan's West Kordofan state, according to a medical group and survivors.

The collapse occurred at the al-Zara gold mine near the town of Nuhud, in an area controlled by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has been fighting Sudan's military since April 2023.

The mine's shafts began collapsing late Tuesday, trapping miners underground. Survivors said rescue efforts continued through the night, with volunteers and fellow miners working to recover bodies and search for people who may still be alive beneath the rubble.

The death toll could rise further as many people remain unaccounted for and rescue operations continue. Survivors said the effort has been severely hampered by a lack of heavy machinery capable of removing the large amounts of rock and soil blocking the mine shafts.

Local reports said several interconnected shafts collapsed, burying dozens of miners. The precise number of people inside the mine at the time of the collapse remains unclear.

The disaster has once again highlighted the extremely dangerous conditions faced by Sudan's artisanal and small-scale miners. The sector has expanded dramatically as the war has devastated the country's economy and eliminated livelihoods, pushing more people toward gold mining as a source of income.

Sudan is a major gold producer, but much of its production comes from informal or poorly regulated mining operations, where inadequate safety measures and limited access to emergency equipment can make mine collapses particularly deadly. Previous collapses have also claimed dozens of lives.

The gold industry has also become increasingly important to Sudan's wartime economy. Reporting has documented how the country's gold trade has helped sustain the conflict while the mining boom has brought severe environmental and social consequences in several parts of Sudan.

The latest tragedy comes as West Kordofan faces an already severe humanitarian crisis. Local aid groups have warned of worsening hunger and displacement in the state amid drought, crop failures, soaring food prices and continued conflict.

Rescue teams and local miners remain engaged in the search for those still trapped, but the absence of appropriate heavy equipment is making it difficult to reach deeper sections of the collapsed mine.

With the number of missing miners still unknown, authorities and medical workers fear the final death toll could be significantly higher. (ILKHA)