More 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 in 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 within the area held by the notorious rebel group M23, was not properly maintained, according to BBC News.
The structure gave in after landslides, trapping hundreds of people, the rebel authorities said.
Among 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 more than 200 dead, some of whom are still in the mud and have not yet been recovered.
‘Some people were rescued just in time and have serious injuries.
‘We are in the rainy season. The ground is fragile. It was the ground that gave way while the victims were in the hole.’
Those who were rescued with serious injuries were taken to three health facilities in Rubaya before some would be transferred to the city of Goma around 30 miles away.
The Rubaya mine produces a chunk of the world’s coltan supply – 15%. The sought-after mineral is turned into tantalum, a heat-resistant metal used in mobile phones, computers and aviation.
The mine relies mainly on local people to dig manually, earning them just a few 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 in the shafts.’
The mine has been under the control of M23 fighters since May 2024 when the group seized control in the area.
DRC, especially its eastern and northern border regions, have been in crisis for decades, causing a large-scale humanitarian crisis with more 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 area should leave if possible.
In November, at least 32 people died when a makeshift bridge collapsed in a cobalt and copper mine in Lualaba province in 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 risk of landslides.
DRC is the world’s biggest source of cobalt, responsible for more than 70% of the supply.
The country is thought to have between 1.5 and 2 million people who work in the unregulated mining industry, according to human rights groups.
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