No fewer than fourteen people were killed on Wednesday when an illegal gold mine collapsed in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the government said, giving a provisional toll.
“Fourteen dead, three hospitalized with serious injuries. Search continuing,” Steve Mbikayi, the minister of national solidarity and humanitarian action, said in a tweet.
The accident happened at Kampene, 180 kilometres (110 miles) south of town of Kindu.
Also, Civil society campaigner Justin Kyanga Asumani said the accident happened at about 14:00 local time (13:00 GMT) at the illegal mine in the province of Maniema.
“Dozens of people, including children and pregnant women” were working on the site when the mine collapsed”, he said.
