Photo credit: Thr Independent
A landslide last week collapsed several mines at a major coltan mining site in eastern Congo, leaving at least 200 people dead, rebel authorities said Saturday.
The Korea Herald reports that the collapse took [lace Wednesday at the Kubaya mines, which are controlled by the M23 rebels, Lumumba Kambere Muyosa, the spokesperson of the rebel-appointed governor of North-Kivu province told the AP. He said the landslide was caused by heavy rains.
He added that several others were injured and taken to three health facilities in the town of Rubaya, while ambulances were expected to transfer the wounded Saturday to Goma, the nearest city around 50 kilometres away.
The rebel-appointed governor of North Kivu has temporarily halted artisanal mining on the site and ordered the relocation of residents who had built shelters near the mine, Muyisa said.
Congo’s government expressed solidarity with the victims’ families and accused the rebels of illegally and unsafely exploiting the region’s natural resources.
