Several people are reported to have died in a gallery collapse on Friday in eastern DRC. The death toll could rise to around 50.
An artisanal gold mine collapsed on Friday, September 11 in Kamituga, in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC); according to authorities in the province of South Kivu, fearing a death toll of about 50 people. The governor of the province deplored “the tragic death of fifty people, mostly young people;” adding that research was continuing to identify the victims.
“We don’t know the exact number” of deaths until now, tempered the mayor, Alexander Bundya, who explained the collapse by “subsidence of the ground caused by the torrential rain”.
The mayor declared two “dead city” days and urged the population to go to the scene to recover the bodies from the ground.
River overflow
“According to witnesses, there are more than fifty dead;” said one resident present at the scene who stated that “there is only one survivor. This inhabitant explains that rains overflowed a river near the gold mine.
“The water went to the three tunnels. When people wanted to get out, there was no way out because the water was flowing in abundance, with a lot of pressure. »
“Research continues”
“The search continues to identify our deceased compatriots,” the governor added in a press release.
The mayor declared two days “dead city” Saturday and Sunday; “The lifeless bodies of our compatriots must be removed,” he said, inviting the population to go to the scene “to extract the bodies from the ground”.
Known as “diggers”, artisanal miners try to sell the minerals they manage to extract in difficult conditions. Accidents are frequent.
“Investigations must be carried out to elucidate the causes of this catastrophe,” said Pastor Nicolas Kyalangalilwa. “The authorities must take responsibility instead of taxing artisanal miners. »
Source: Le Monde
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