More than 200 people have been killed in a mine collapse in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
The spokesman for the North Kivu region's rebel governor told reporters the mine, in the town of Rubaya, gave way on Wednesday due to heavy rains, and at the time, the death toll remained unclear.
Women and children were among those mining coltan, a mineral used to manufacture electronics such as smartphones and computers, at the time.
A former supervisor of the mine told the BBC the site was not properly maintained, making accidents more likely and hampering rescue efforts when they occur.
He added that the fragile nature of the soil made the situation worse.
Women, children and artisanal miners — those not officially employed by a mining firm — are among those killed in the collapse.
Around 20 survivors are said to be receiving treatment in hospital.
Governor Erasto Bahati Musanga, who was appointed by M23 rebels after seizing swathes of territory in North Kivu, visited survivors of the incident on Friday.
Rubaya is one of a number of towns across North Kivu under the control of the M23, who international observers say are backed by neighbouring Rwanda.
The mines in Rubaya hold about 15 percent of the world's coltan supply and half of the DR Congo's total deposits.
The metallic ore contains tantalum, which is used to produce high-performance capacitors in a range of electronic devices, making it in high demand worldwide.
Since 2024, the M23 rebels have been in control of the mines. The UN has accused the group of imposing taxes on the mining sector for their own benefit.
Source: BBC
