Goma

A massive landslide triggered by heavy rainfall has killed at least 200 people at a major coltan mining site in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, according to authorities appointed by the M23 rebel group that controls the area.

The incident occurred on Wednesday at the Rubaya mining complex in North Kivu province. Lumumba Kambere Muyisa, spokesperson for the rebel-installed provincial administration, said multiple artisanal mine shafts collapsed after days of intense rain, trapping hundreds of miners beneath mud and debris.

“More than 200 bodies have been counted so far, and several victims remain buried under the mud,” Muyisa said, adding that the death toll could rise as recovery efforts continue. He said dozens of injured miners were taken to local health centres in Rubaya, while arrangements were being made to move critically wounded survivors to hospitals in Goma, located about 50 kilometres away.

In response to the disaster, the rebel-appointed governor of North Kivu has ordered an immediate suspension of artisanal mining operations at the site. Authorities have also directed residents who had built makeshift shelters near the mines to relocate to safer areas.

Rubaya is located in eastern Congo’s mineral-rich region, an area long affected by armed conflict involving government forces and multiple militia groups. The M23 rebels, backed by Rwanda according to international reports, regained control of the town and its mines in May 2024, intensifying instability and deepening the humanitarian crisis.

The Rubaya area is a critical source of coltan, from which tantalum is extracted—an essential material used in the manufacture of smartphones, computers, and aircraft components. The region supplies more than 15 percent of the world’s tantalum, making it strategically important to global technology supply chains.

A United Nations report previously stated that since taking over Rubaya, M23 rebels have imposed taxes on coltan production and transportation, earning an estimated $800,000 per month.

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Eastern Congo remains one of the world’s most severe humanitarian hotspots, with more than seven million people displaced by decades of conflict. Despite a US-brokered agreement between Congo and Rwanda and ongoing talks involving rebel groups, fighting continues across several areas, resulting in ongoing civilian and military casualties.