The death toll from a devastating landslide at a mining site in eastern DR Congo has risen to over 200.
The incident occurred on Tuesday when a mine shaft collapsed at the country’s largest coltan mining site, according to witnesses who spoke to AFP. Initial reports had placed the number of fatalities at six.
The accident took place at the Rubaya mining site, 45 miles west of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, an area under the control of the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group.
The Ministry of Mines said in a statement that the provisional death toll had risen drastically.
“The preliminary figures indicate that more than 200 of our compatriots lost their lives, including 70 children, with many others injured,” the ministry said.
AFP noted that it could not independently verify the figures due to the remoteness of the region. Access to the area is extremely limited, with humanitarian organisations and major health facilities largely absent, while telecommunications are frequently disrupted.
