Central African Republic authorities have ordered an artisanal gold mine near the Cameroonian border to be closed after the mines minister said 49 people had died there in a deadly collapse.
Earlier, a senior official at a local mining association said more than 100 people were killed when the mine collapsed.
A prosecutor confirmed there had been a mine collapse in the village of Zamboye near the border with Cameroon but said the number of deaths and other details were still being established.
The prosecutor said in a statement that rescue efforts were continuing and an investigation would be opened to establish the cause and who was running the site.
Cameroonian authorities ready to receive, treat any injured people crossing border
Cameroonian authorities said they were ready to receive and provide medical care to any injured people who crossed the border.
Artisanal mining supports livelihoods across Africa, but weak regulation and poor safety standards often lead to deadly accidents.