About 50 people are feared dead after a gold mine
collapsed in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo following
torrential rain, local authorities said Saturday.
The accident in the makeshift mine occurred on Friday in the
town of Kamituga, in South Kivu province.
Provincial governor Theo Ngwabidje Kasi deplored “the tragic
deaths of 50 people, most of them young”.
However, Kamituga mayor Alexandre Bundya said “we are not yet
sure of the exact number” of victims.
A local resident who was at the scene, Jean Nondo, told AFP that
“according to witnesses, there are more than 50 dead. There is only
one survivor.”
He said a river close to the mine had flooded after torrential
rain.
“Water went into the three tunnels. When people tried to get
out, there was no way as the water was flowing strongly, with high
pressure,” he said.
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Bundya blamed “soil subsidence caused by torrential rain” for
the accident.
The mayor decreed a two-day mourning period and called on local
residents to help extract the bodies from the ground.
Accidents in DR Congo’s makeshift mines are a common occurrence,
and are often deadly.
Many such mines are in remote areas, meaning the accidents are
under-reported.
The miners sell what they find to local traders, who sell it on
to large foreign companies.
“Investigations must be carried out to find out the causes of
this disaster,” said a representative of the civil society, Nicolas
Kyalangalilwa.
“The authorities must take responsibility instead of taxing”
these miners.
AFP
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