At least 50 people have been killed after a gold mine collapsed in east Congo.
The artisanal gold mine collapsed near Kamituga in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo on Friday afternoon, a local mining NGO said.
The incident reportedly happened following heavy rains.
Mukambilwa Sidibo, coordinator of the civil society movements of Congo in Kamituga, told Actualite: "Several young people and fathers, artisanal miners, died today in three wells including those of Nivelle, Kubota and Tendi.
"In these three wells, the diggers were looking for gold, but with the rains which are shot, they were drowned by the waters and all died."
Searches are continuing to try and find the bodies among the rubble, reports said.
"Unfortunately so far no body has been found," Sidibo said.
A tweet on the incident said: "The city of Kamituga in great mourning (sic)."
It added: "Huge loss [for] families."
Accidents on artisanal gold mines are said to be frequently reported in the DRC, according to Sputnik news.
Kamituga is said to be a town rich in gold where the majority of inhabitants devote themselves to mining.
