Landslide Kills Over 200 in DRC Coltan Mines

At least 200 people died when a landslide triggered by heavy rains collapsed several artisanal coltan mines in the rebel-controlled town of Rubaya in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Wednesday, local authorities reported Saturday.

The disaster struck at a major mining site in North Kivu province, about 50 kilometers northwest of Goma, the provincial capital. Lumumba Kambere Muyisa, spokesperson for the rebel-appointed governor of North Kivu, told reporters that the death toll stood at more than 200, with some bodies still buried in the mud and unrecovered. Victims included miners, children and market women who were working or trading near the site at the time. "We are in the rainy season. The ground is fragile. It was the ground that gave way while the victims were in the hole," Muyisa said.

Several others sustained injuries, with around 20 receiving treatment at three health facilities in Rubaya. Ambulances were arranged Saturday to transfer the wounded to Goma for advanced care. Eraston Bahati Musanga, the M23 rebel group's appointed governor for North Kivu, confirmed that recovery efforts had begun but did not provide a specific casualty figure, noting only that some...