Latest news with #rescueefforts
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
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Death toll rises in Vietnam tour boat disaster, officials say
STORY: ::The death toll in a tourist boat accident climbs to dozens, Vietnamese officials say :: July 20, 2025 ::Halong Bay, Vietnam Video from Vietnam Television (VTV) showed search and rescue efforts continuing overnight, with rescuers flipping the capsized boat upright and calling out for survivors. The vessel capsized on Saturday afternoon, carrying 48 tourists and five crew members, in one of the worst boating accidents in recent years in the popular tourist area. The official Vietnam News Agency reported that several children were among the tourists, who were all Vietnamese. The government said in a statement, at least 10 people had been rescued and that the sunken boat had been retrieved. Authorities reported strong winds, heavy rainfall and lightning in the area at the time of the incident, adding that these conditions were not yet influenced by the approaching typhoon but were due to wind patterns over the northern region.
NHK
4 days ago
- Climate
- NHK
Torrential rain in South Korea leaves 14 dead
The death toll from heavy rainfall in South Korea has risen to 14. Twelve people are still missing. Authorities are continuing search and rescue efforts. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety released the figures as of 10 a.m. on Sunday. It says the tally covered the five-day period from Wednesday. Torrential rain swept across much of South Korea over the past several days, causing damage primarily in mountainous areas in the country's south and north. South Korean media reported that Sancheong in South Gyeongsang Province saw about 800 millimeters of rain over a 5-day period starting Wednesday. The reports said the downpours triggered flooding and landslides, with eight people confirmed dead and six others missing as of Sunday morning. They also said the disaster forced more than 2,000 people to evacuate from their homes. Reports from Gapyeong in Gyeonggi Province say two people have been killed and four others are missing after heavy rainfall destroyed houses and swept away a vehicle.
BBC News
4 days ago
- Climate
- BBC News
South Korea floods trigger landslides and leave at least 14 dead
At least 14 people have died in floods and landslides caused by days of torrential rain in South Korea, the country's disaster management office has are fears the death toll could rise as rescue efforts continue, with 12 people reported 10,000 people have evacuated their homes since the downpour began on Wednesday while more than 41,000 households have temporarily lost power, according to local rain has now largely subsided in the worst-hit southern and central areas, but more downpours are expected in the capital Seoul and northern regions. Thousands of roads and buildings have been damaged and submerged by raging floodwaters, with reports of damage to farmland and widespread death of of the destruction has been in the country's south, with six people killed and seven missing in Sancheong have also occurred in a northern mountainous region near Seoul, as well as other western and northern landslide warnings have been issued in several regions nationwide, while the government launched a multi-agency recovery effort on Sunday.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
At least 28 dead after tourist boat capsizes in Vietnam's Ha Long Bay
A tourist boat carrying over 50 people capsized in Vietnam's Ha Long Bay amid heavy rain, killing at least 28 and leaving dozens missing. Most passengers onboard were families from Hanoi, including many children, according to local media. Rescue efforts are underway at the popular UNESCO World Heritage site. At least 28 people have died and dozens are missing after a tourist boat carrying more than 50 capsized Saturday in Vietnam's Ha Long Bay, state media said. The vessel was carrying 48 passengers and five crew members when it capsized because of sudden heavy rain as it toured the UNESCO World Heritage site, the Dan Tri news site said. "On the afternoon of July 19, the Wonder Sea tourist boat carrying 53 people capsized. Vietnamese Border Guards and navy rescued 11 people and recovered 28 bodies," VNExpress news site reported. Most of those on board were families visiting from the capital Hanoi, with more than 20 children among the passengers, VNExpress said. Ha Long Bay is one of Vietnam's most popular tourist destinations, with millions of people visiting its blue-green waters and rainforest-topped limestone islands each year. Last year 30 vessels sank at boat lock areas in coastal Quang Ninh province along Ha Long Bay after being pounded by strong wind and waves brought by deadly Typhoon Yagi. (FRANCE 24 with AFP)
