More than a hundred people have died in a landslide at an illegal gold mine in southern DR Congo, local police said last night, quoted by DPA.
A police officer said the incident occurred on Friday afternoon in Lualaba province.
It was initially reported that the landslide had buried up to 70 people, but the number of bodies recovered later reached 101.
The rescue operation is ongoing, as it is believed that there may be more victims.
The head of the Global Refugee Leadership Forum in Kolwezi, Pekos Kilihoshi, said that many of the dead were internally displaced people.
A day later, in another incident, about 30 people died when a bridge collapsed at a copper mine in southeastern Congo, the national artisanal mining agency said.
The organization said 49 people had died and 20 were hospitalized in critical condition. However, Roy Kaumba, the interior minister of Lualaba province, said only 32 deaths had been confirmed so far.
The mine collapse “was caused by panic triggered by gunfire from soldiers guarding the mine,” the industry association said.