A terrible mine collapse happened in eastern Congo. About 200 people have died. Officials think more people might be dead. The disaster was at the Rubaya coltan mine. This mine is important for electronics. Rescue teams are working hard in the dangerous area.
The collapse happened during heavy rain. The ground became very unstable. People saw the earth fall suddenly. Many miners, children, and market sellers were there. A government helper said over 200 people died. This included miners, children, and women. About 20 people are hurt badly and getting medical help.
The Rubaya mine is near Goma. It provides coltan for the world. Coltan is used to make phones and computers. Local people worked there by hand for little money. A rebel group took control of the mine this year. This makes rescue work harder.
It is not clear why the mine collapsed. Heavy rain likely caused a landslide. This landslide swept through the mine. One miner said the rain came before the landslide. The landslide then took people away. Some people were buried alive. Others are still trapped. The bad weather made the ground very dangerous. The exact number of deaths is still unknown.
Rescue efforts are happening now. However, the ground is still very unstable. This makes it risky for rescuers. One advisor said at least 227 people have died. This is a huge loss for the local people. It shows the dangers of manual mining. It is especially dangerous in areas with bad weather and fighting. The world's supply of important materials might be affected later. For now, people are focused on helping those affected.