A diamond mine collapsed in the southern Democratic Republic of Congo and killed up to 40 people, authorities said on Wednesday, adding the news had taken weeks to emerge from the remote area.
Clement Kanku, governor of Kasai Occidental province, said the accident occurred in mid-February and that he had scant details because of the remote location of the mine, in Kampangala, a town about 135km southeast of Tshikapa, on the border with Angola.
”Although, we do not know the exact number of casualties, we estimate that between 20 to 40 have died,” Kanku said after visiting Kampangala on Monday.
He blamed the collapse on illegal mining activities and practices such as digging underground tunnels to extract the precious gems.
According to official figures, at least 6 000 people work around Kampangala’s mine.
Diamonds — the DRCC’s main export, worth $1,3-billion in 2003 — are also believed to be routinely smuggled across the border. – Sapa-AP