Landslides Trap Hundreds of Miners, Kill 10 in Eastern Congo

A series of landslides triggered by heavy rains in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo's South Kivu province have trapped an estimated 500 miners in informal gold mining shafts, with rescue efforts ongoing amid challenging conditions. Authorities have recovered at least ten bodies, but the exact number of casualties remains unclear due to the miners' work in unregulated artisanal operations lacking safety protocols. The affected miners include internally displaced people fleeing conflict between government troops and Rwanda-backed M23 rebels in the region. Emergency crews and volunteers continue to search for survivors despite the hazardous terrain and unstable conditions. Artisanal mining is a significant but dangerous livelihood in the area, frequently marked by fatal accidents from shaft collapses and landslides. Video footage from international sources captures the scale of the disaster and the efforts underway to aid those trapped underground.