Overview
- Heavy rains triggered the collapse of multiple hand-dug shafts in Rubaya, Masisi territory, North Kivu, leaving many victims buried in mud.
- Rescue and recovery continue with a provisional death toll above 200, injured patients treated locally and serious cases slated for transfer to Goma about 50 kilometers away.
- The mine area has been under M23 control since 2024, and a UN report says the group taxes coltan trade and transport, generating substantial monthly revenue.
- Unsafe artisanal practices, including overcrowded, unreinforced tunnels, have led to repeated collapses, according to former miners from the site.
- Rubaya supplies a significant share of the world’s tantalum, raising global supply-chain concerns as access for journalists, investigators, and aid groups remains constrained.