More than 200 people have been killed after a landslide triggered a mine collapse in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to rebel-appointed authorities in North Kivu province.
The collapse occurred on Wednesday at the Rubaya coltan mine, about 60 kilometers northwest of Goma, amid heavy rainfall during the region’s rainy season.
Officials said miners, women, and children were among those working inside the mine when the ground gave way, trapping many underground.
Authorities reported that around 20 injured survivors were receiving treatment in health facilities as rescue efforts continued.
A spokesperson for the rebel-appointed provincial administration said fragile soil conditions worsened by rainfall caused the collapse while workers were inside the shafts.
“More than 200 people were victims of this landslide, including miners, children and market women,” the spokesperson said.
Local miners told reporters that some victims were still believed to be trapped, and that rescue efforts were complicated by poor conditions at the site.
A former supervisor interviewed by the BBC said the mine was not properly maintained, increasing the likelihood of accidents and making rescue operations more difficult.
Governor Erasto Bahati Musanga, appointed by the M23 rebel group, visited injured survivors on Friday as authorities confirmed that bodies had been recovered.
Rubaya is one of several mineral-rich towns in North Kivu under the control of the M23 rebel group, which has held the mine since 2024.
The heavily armed group expanded its territorial control in eastern Congo last year during a rapid military advance.
Rubaya produces about 15 percent of the world’s coltan, a key source of tantalum used in electronic devices and aerospace components.
The United Nations has accused M23 of exploiting Rubaya’s resources to fund its rebellion, allegations denied by the Rwandan government, which international observers say backs the group.
Despite Congo’s vast mineral wealth, more than 70 percent of the population lives on less than $2.15 a day, underscoring the economic pressures that drive risky artisanal mining.