At least 227 people have lost their lives after the Rubaya coltan mine in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo collapsed on Wednesday. The devastating event, which has left hundreds trapped under the rubble, is believed to be caused by heavy rains that swept through the area.
According to rebel-appointed governor Lumumba Kambere Muyisa, more than 200 people have been killed and several others are still missing in the mud. The injured were taken to three local health facilities, where they await transfer to a larger hospital in Goma, approximately 30 miles away.
The site, which is home to artisanal mining operations, has been controlled by the M23 rebel group since last year. The group's leader has plundered the area's mineral resources to fund its insurgency, with Rwanda backing its efforts despite denying any involvement.
As rescue efforts are underway, governor Muyisa has temporarily halted all artisanal mining activities at Rubaya and ordered residents who built shelters near the mine to relocate. However, it is unclear how long this measure will remain in place.
The collapse of the Rubaya coltan mine highlights the dangers faced by local communities in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The site's heavy rainfall has exposed the country's complex web of artisanal mining operations and the devastating impact that these activities can have on vulnerable populations.
According to rebel-appointed governor Lumumba Kambere Muyisa, more than 200 people have been killed and several others are still missing in the mud. The injured were taken to three local health facilities, where they await transfer to a larger hospital in Goma, approximately 30 miles away.
The site, which is home to artisanal mining operations, has been controlled by the M23 rebel group since last year. The group's leader has plundered the area's mineral resources to fund its insurgency, with Rwanda backing its efforts despite denying any involvement.
As rescue efforts are underway, governor Muyisa has temporarily halted all artisanal mining activities at Rubaya and ordered residents who built shelters near the mine to relocate. However, it is unclear how long this measure will remain in place.
The collapse of the Rubaya coltan mine highlights the dangers faced by local communities in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The site's heavy rainfall has exposed the country's complex web of artisanal mining operations and the devastating impact that these activities can have on vulnerable populations.
! Can't believe those rebel guys are causing so much harm to innocent ppl. And what's with all this funding their insurgency from Rwanda? It's like they're fueling a fire that's gonna consume everyone in eastern DRC 
! The fact that the mine collapsed due to heavy rains is just a ticking time bomb, it's not like those miners didn't see it coming 
. Artisanal mining operations are so shady and exploitative, it's like they're sucking the life outta those communities 
. Can we please do better? Get those rebels outta there ASAP!
! Like, what's going on with these rebel groups and their greed? They just keep exploiting the locals for their own gain 
. And to think they're using it to fund some insurgency, meanwhile innocent people are dying 
. I'm really worried about those who got trapped under the rubble... like, how long is gonna take to get them out of there?! 
and what's with all these health issues? Can't they just regulate these mines already?! 
so many lives lost because of one bad day... heavy rains just took out a whole mine 
anyone knows what kind of regulations were even supposed to be in place here? anyway, hope these people can get rescued soon and move on from this tragedy 
.
. It's just heartbreaking thinking about those hundreds trapped under rubble, and the ones still missing... can we do better to prevent such tragedies? 
its all cuz of dese heavy rains & rebel group M23 takin over de area 
they r usin de mineral resources to fund deir insurgency & Rwanda is supportin dem 
i dont think it's fair tho 
the heavy rains really brought out the worst in the site and it's devastating to think that the rebel group was profiting from all this suffering 
I hope the rescue efforts are successful and those still trapped get the help they need 
... what a tragedy. Can't even imagine bein' in those shoes, trapped under all that rubble 
. I mean, M23 rebel group's got its own issues, plunders the area's resources and now innocent people suffer