Latest news with #Lomera
New York Times
2 days ago
- New York Times
Gold Miners Feared Dead in Congo After Landslide
A landslide at an informal gold mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo where thousands of people were working has left an unknown number of people trapped underground since Sunday. An official with the armed group that controls the area in eastern Congo where the mining accident occurred confirmed the landslide in a phone call on Tuesday. The official, Élie Rubabura, said that a team was searching for people in 14 shafts at the site in Lomera. While thousands of miners have been digging in Lomera in recent months, the number of miners who were in the shafts on Sunday is not known. Twelve people have been rescued, Mr. Rubabura, said, adding that the number of missing would be released only once the search was over. The Lomera site is an artisanal mine, meaning it is not operated by a mining company with professional equipment but by workers who use basic tools to extract ore, often in dangerous conditions. Official information on any casualties and exactly how many people are missing has been difficult to confirm. Lomera is in territory controlled by M23, a militia backed by neighboring Rwanda. After the landslide, M23 shut down all mining and trading in Lomera until further notice, prompting many people to leave the village. On Tuesday, M23 members walked around the site issuing instructions to those who remained, telling them not to film or speak to journalists. There was no sign that a serious search for survivors was underway. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
DR Congo rescuers dig with bare hands for trapped miners
People in a gold-mining area in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo have been using their bare hands and basic tools to free miners trapped underground. Six have been pulled out alive, with one seriously injured, since shafts collapsed in Lomera in the early hours of Sunday, local journalist Ashuza Barack told the BBC. There have been conflicting reports on the death toll. One resident said that 12 bodies had been found but Barack said no bodies had been recovered. The area, in South Kivu province, has been under the control of M23 rebels since they captured swathes of DR Congo's mineral-rich east earlier this year. The M23 rejected reports that hundreds were trapped underground. 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. You may also be interested in: Inside the Congolese mine vital to mobile phones What's the fighting in DR Congo all about? Ceasefire deal still faces many challenges The evidence that shows Rwanda is backing rebels in DR Congo Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica BBC Africa podcasts Focus on Africa This Is Africa
BBC News
2 days ago
- BBC News
DR Congo mine: Rescuers dig with bare hands for trapped miners in Lomera
People in a gold-mining area in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo have been using their bare hands and basic tools to free miners trapped have been pulled out alive, with one seriously injured, since shafts collapsed in Lomera in the early hours of Sunday, local journalist Ashuza Barack told the have been conflicting reports on the death toll. One resident said that 12 bodies had been found but Barack said no bodies had been area, in South Kivu province, has been under the control of M23 rebels since they captured swathes of DR Congo's mineral-rich east earlier this year. The M23 rejected reports that hundreds were trapped underground. 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 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 said a series of cascading landslides buried up to 15 of these makeshift shafts without efforts have slowed as debris and large stones continue to block 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 from M23 visited the site and ordered mining activities to stop in parts of the 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 region has also been hit by conflict for decades as various rebel groups and the government have been fighting over 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. You may also be interested in: 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 Go to for more news from the African us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Cholera outbreak strains health system at a mining camp in Congo
STORY: :: Lomera, DRC :: June 18, 2025 A cholera outbreak has infected more than 600 people at an artisanal gold mine in South Kivu province, overwhelming local health services and exposing severe sanitation challenges in the conflict-hit eastern Congo. Many patients, like Riziki Bachoke, described severe symptoms and were treated at this makeshift center run by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). "I have been here for two days, suffering from diarrhea. I was brought here in a critical condition. I also had dizziness, but when I arrived here, they examined me before giving me medication. I took syrups and serum. After three days, I feel good. I am strong and I say thank you very much." Cholera is a bacterial infection caused by consuming contaminated water or food. It can kill within hours if untreated. Aid workers and health officials warn of recurring outbreaks without proper sanitation infrastructure, clean water, and long-term healthcare investment. Earlier this year, North Kivu recorded over 600 suspected cholera cases and 14 deaths in one month, raising concerns about similar trends in South Kivu's informal settlements like Lomera. :: Katana, DRC :: July 2, 2025 Dr. Justin Bengehya of the South Kivu Provincial Health Division reported 5,360 cases and 28 deaths across the province since early 2025. The epidemic has raged in Lomera for nearly two months, he says, and most of those affected are miners and small traders. The World Health Organization (WHO) has flagged rising infectious disease risks in eastern Congo amid ongoing displacement and violence.
Zawya
27-06-2025
- Health
- Zawya
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) responds to cholera outbreak following gold discovery in Lomera, South Kivu
In early May, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) launched an emergency response to a cholera outbreak in Lomera, South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo, where a gold rush and poor sanitation fuelled rapid spread of the disease. Over 8,000 people were vaccinated and more than 600 patients received treatment, as teams worked around the clock to provide care and improve access to clean water. Until recently, Lomera was a quiet lakeside village, barely known to most residents of South Kivu, DRC. That changed overnight last December when gold was discovered in its hills. The rush for fortune—intensified by economic insecurity caused by clashes between the M23/AFC armed group, the Congolese army (FARDC), and their Wazalendo militia allies—has turned Lomera into a magnet for thousands of people seeking work and safety. In less than a year, the population exploded from 1,500 to more than 12,000. The village is now a sprawling chaos of mineshafts and makeshift shelters. 'We live in tough conditions without much space, but we put up with it because we need to earn a living,' says Chiza Blonza, who left his farm in Walungu (some 90 kilometres away) behind to work the mines. Every day, more people arrive, crowding into already packed shelters—sometimes 20 to a room. It was only a matter of time before disaster struck. 'Everything that could possibly fuel a cholera outbreak is here,' says Mathilde Cilley, MSF medical adviser. 'We're seeing severe overcrowding, barely any clean water, open defecation on the hills, and a total lack of waste management." Cholera is endemic in this part of DRC, and the lake is contaminated by the bacteria, but an epidemic of this scale is unusual. The first 13 cases in Lomera were reported on 20 April. Within two weeks, that number soared by over 700% to 109 cases—a figure likely underestimated. Today, the town accounts for 95% of cholera cases in the Katana health zone, an area that is home to more than 275,000 people. MSF launched a rapid emergency response on 9 May. Our teams worked around the clock to contain the epidemic. In just four days, we vaccinated more than 8,000 people—though limited supplies meant only single-dose regimens were administered, instead of the recommended two. More than 600 people have been treated for cholera at a temporary 20-bed cholera treatment unit we set up, with many arriving in critical condition. 'The vast majority of our patients work in the mines, where they use contaminated lake water to separate gold from the earth, exposing themselves to the bacteria,' says Dr Théophile Amani, an MSF doctor in Lomera. 'Tough manual labour and high levels of alcohol consumption mean many are already dehydrated even prior to getting infected." After treatment, patients receive hygiene kits—buckets, water purification tablets, and soap—and vital health education from MSF staff on how to prevent future infections. Bonheur Maganda, originally from Kabamba, is among them. He came to work in the mines to provide for his children and said that many of his colleagues had also fallen ill. 'Without MSF, many of them would have died,' he says. 'The health promotion officer explained the importance of washing my hands with clean water and being careful with food. I will share this advice with others.' MSF also installed a lakeside water treatment facility and distribution point, delivering around 60,000 litres of clean water daily. One hundred latrines and twenty-five supervised handwashing points were set up across the settlement, including at restaurants and public gathering spots. Contact tracing and preventive treatment for those exposed to cholera have been crucial in containing the spread. MSF's emergency response will soon be handed over to other partners, but there is an urgent need for long-term solutions to guarantee continued access to clean water. 'Without significant investment in water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure, outbreaks like this are likely to persist on a regular basis,' warns Muriel Boursier, MSF's head of mission in Bukavu. 'At present, the nearest well is three kilometres away. International partners and local authorities must step up and implement sustainable solutions.' Given the constant flux of people moving in and out of the town, further vaccine supplies will also be necessary to protect people. 'South Kivu—and eastern DRC as a whole—are facing major logistical hurdles in getting essential medical supplies, including vaccines, medicines, and equipment, to where they're needed most,' says Boursier. 'While insecurity is a factor, the closure of airports in Bukavu and Goma has had an even greater impact, severely restricting our ability to deliver lifesaving aid,' she says. 'International cuts to humanitarian funding have also limited the availability of medical supplies. We urge governing authorities and international partners to do everything possible to help restore access and support the sanitary response to the wide range of health emergencies impacting the region.' Responding to cholera outbreaks remains a central priority for MSF in DRC. In 2024 alone, MSF teams treated more than 15,000 cholera cases nationwide, working alongside local health authorities and communities to save lives and stop the spread of disease. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Médecins sans frontières (MSF).
