DR Congo mine: Rescuers dig with bare hands for trapped miners in Lomera
Lomera has witnessed a gold rush since the end of last year when the precious ore was discovered in the hills near what was then a quiet village, according to medical charity MSF.Thousands of people arrived hoping to make money as freelance, or artisanal, miners, turning the area into a "sprawling chaos of mineshafts and makeshift shelters", MSF said in a statement on a cholera outbreak in the area last month.Reports said a series of cascading landslides buried up to 15 of these makeshift shafts without warning.Rescue efforts have slowed as debris and large stones continue to block access.Journalist Barack told the BBC that the lack of proper equipment has hampered attempts to clear the site. Survivors told him that many miners remain stuck."We've been digging since Sunday night but have not recovered any bodies. We are exhausted," one miner said.Officials from M23 visited the site and ordered mining activities to stop in parts of the area.Dozens of mining sites across this region of DR Congo supply the global electronics industry with vital metals and minerals. Many are not properly regulated and safety standards are not observed.The region has also been hit by conflict for decades as various rebel groups and the government have been fighting over control.The M23 made significant territorial gains earlier this year, capturing Goma, the main city in eastern DR Congo. It signed a ceasefire deal with the government at the weekend in talks brokered by Qatar.
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Inside the Congolese mine vital to mobile phonesWhat's the fighting in DR Congo all about?Ceasefire deal still faces many challengesThe evidence that shows Rwanda is backing rebels in DR Congo
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