South Kivu: Rescuers Dig With Bare Hands to Search for Trapped Miners in Collapsed Gold Mine

In eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, residents in a gold mining area are using only their bare hands and rudimentary tools in a desperate attempt to rescue miners trapped underground.

Six people have been pulled out alive one of them seriously injured since the mine in Lomera collapsed on Sunday morning, according to local journalist Ashuza Barack who spoke to the BBC.

There are conflicting reports regarding the number of fatalities. While one local source claimed that 12 bodies had been recovered, Barack reported that no bodies had yet been retrieved. The number of people still missing remains unknown.

The affected area, located in South Kivu province, has been under the control of the M23 rebel group since early this year, when they seized large parts of eastern DRC, a region rich in mineral resources. M23 has denied reports suggesting that hundreds of people may be trapped inside the mine.

Since the discovery of gold in nearby hills late last year, Lomera has seen an influx of fortune seekers. What was once a quiet village has been transformed into a chaotic and makeshift mining settlement, according to the international medical organization Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).

Thousands of people have flocked to the site in search of wealth either as artisanal miners or prospectors creating a densely packed area filled with unstable pits and temporary shelters. MSF recently described the site as an “overcrowded zone of unsafe mines and inadequate shelter” in a statement issued last month, following a cholera outbreak in the area.

Reports indicate that a series of sudden landslides buried at least 15 mine shafts without warning.

Rescue operations have slowed significantly due to debris and large rocks obstructing entry into the collapsed shafts. Journalist Barack told the BBC that the lack of proper equipment has severely hindered recovery efforts. Survivors have said many miners remain trapped underground.

“We’ve been digging since Sunday night, but we haven’t been able to retrieve any bodies. We’re exhausted,” one miner told the Afrovera.

M23 officials visited the site and ordered a suspension of mining activities in some parts of the area.

Dozens of mines across this region of the DRC supply essential minerals to the global electronics industry. Most of these mines operate with little oversight, and safety regulations are rarely enforced.

The region has been plagued by conflict for decades, with various armed groups and the government fighting for control of its valuable resources.

Earlier this year, M23 seized significant territories, including the strategic city of Goma, capital of North Kivu province. The group is widely accused of receiving support from Rwanda allegations that both M23 and the Rwandan government deny.

Last weekend, M23 and the DRC government signed a framework aimed at ending the ongoing conflict, in negotiations mediated by Qatar.