At least 82 people have died following the collapse of a gold mine in Sudan’s West Kordofan state, according to local authorities. Dozens more were injured, and an unknown number of miners remain trapped beneath the rubble.

Rescue teams, joined by fellow miners, worked through the night using only basic tools. They recovered 60 bodies by dawn, with another 22 found on Wednesday. A local administrator reported that around 50 people were injured, though the exact number still missing is unclear.

The disaster underscores the severe dangers of Sudan’s largely unregulated gold mining industry, which provides income for millions of people. Miners frequently operate in unstable shafts with rudimentary equipment and minimal safety precautions.

Gold has also become a vital source of funding for both sides in Sudan’s ongoing civil war, now in its fourth year. Much of the country’s gold is reportedly smuggled abroad, including to the United Arab Emirates.

With heavy machinery required to reach those still trapped, rescue workers face a difficult race against time in a region already devastated by years of conflict and instability. The tragedy has renewed concerns about the human cost of Sudan’s unregulated mining sector.