A catastrophic landslide at a mining operation in the Democratic Republic of Congo has claimed the lives of more than 200 individuals, including approximately 70 children, according to officials from the country’s mines ministry.
The deadly incident occurred Tuesday at the Rubaya coltan mine located in the eastern region of the country, where torrential rainfall caused the ground to give way, the ministry announced Wednesday.
However, conflicting reports have emerged regarding the death toll. A high-ranking official with the M23 group provided Reuters with significantly different casualty figures, stating that only five or six people perished in the mining accident.
The tragedy highlights the dangerous working conditions at mining sites in the region, where coltan extraction is a major economic activity despite significant safety risks.
