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Greater than 200 people, including children, have died after a mineral mine caved in on them in a volatile region of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The disaster struck within the town of Rubaya, North Kivu region, on Wednesday following torrential rain, when a coltan mine collapsed on those working underground.
Sources claim the mine, which is inside the area held by the notorious rebel group M23, was not properly maintained, based on BBC News.
The structure gave in after landslides, trapping a whole lot of individuals, the rebel authorities said.
Amongst those feared dead are children, women and miners.
Lumumba Kambere Muyisa, a spokesperson of the rebel-appointed governor of North Kivu said: ‘For now, there are greater than 200 dead, a few of whom are still within the mud and haven’t yet been recovered.
‘Some people were rescued just in time and have serious injuries.
‘We’re within the rainy season. The bottom is fragile. It was the bottom that gave way while the victims were in the opening.’
Those that were rescued with serious injuries were taken to 3 health facilities in Rubaya before some could be transferred to the town of Goma around 30 miles away.
The Rubaya mine produces a piece of the world’s coltan supply – 15%. The sought-after mineral is was tantalum, a heat-resistant metal utilized in mobile phones, computers and aviation.
The mine relies mainly on local people to dig manually, earning them just a number of dollars a day.
Franck Bolingo, a miner, told AFP news agency: ‘It rained, then the landslide happened and swept people away. Some were buried alive, and others are still trapped within the shafts.’
The mine has been under the control of M23 fighters since May 2024 when the group seized control in the realm.
DRC, especially its eastern and northern border regions, have been in crisis for a long time, causing a large-scale humanitarian crisis with greater than 7 million forced to flee their homes.
The UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to the eastern DRC, including North Kivu, and any British nationals in the realm should leave if possible.
In November, not less than 32 people died when a makeshift bridge collapsed in a cobalt and copper mine in Lualaba province within the southwest of the country. The collapse was reportedly in an area where restrictions had previously been put in place following heavy rains and the danger of landslides.
DRC is the world’s biggest source of cobalt, liable for greater than 70% of the provision.
The country is assumed to have between 1.5 and a couple of million individuals who work within the unregulated mining industry, based on human rights groups.
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