A devastating landslide has collapsed multiple artisanal coltan mines in Rubaya, North Kivu province, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, killing more than 200 people.
The disaster struck on Wednesday (January 28, 2026), with a second landslide reported on Thursday, triggered by heavy rainfall in the region.
Lumumba Kambere Muyisa, spokesperson for the rebel-appointed governor of North Kivu (under M23 control since April 2024), told media outlets that “more than 200 people were victims of this landslide, including miners, children and market women.”
He said that some bodies remain buried in the mud, with rescue efforts ongoing and the exact toll still unclear. Around 20 injured survivors have been treated at local health facilities, with some evacuated to Goma.
The Rubaya mining site, a major source of coltan (a key mineral used in smartphones, laptops, and electronics, supplying about 15% of global production). is an informal artisanal operation plagued by poor safety standards, conflict, and exploitation.
Rights groups have long raised alarms over hazardous conditions in such sites, where unregulated digging and heavy rains frequently cause fatal collapses.
The M23 rebel group, accused by the UN of exploiting coltan revenues to fund its insurgency (allegations Rwanda denies), controls the area.
Independent verification of the casualty figures has been challenging due to access restrictions and the ongoing conflict in eastern DRC.
Rescue operations continue, but many fear the death toll could rise as recovery efforts unearth more victims.
