Pope prays for over 200 dead in eastern DRC mine collapse

By Devin Watkins

A landslide struck a major coltan mining site in DR Congo’s eastern North Kivu province on Wednesday, collapsing several mines.

At least 200 people died in the incident at the Rubaya mines, according to the North Kivu province governor, who was appointed by the M23 rebels that control the area.

Speaking at the Angelus on Sunday, Pope Leo XIV expressed his closeness to the victims of the tragedy and their families.

“I assure my prayers for the many victims of the landslide in a mine in North Kivu, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” he said. “May the Lord sustain that people who suffer so much!”

Leaders appointed by the M23 rebels temporarily halted artisanal mining near Rubaya, which lies around 50 kilometers from Goma.

The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo expressed solidarity with the victims, but accused M23 rebels of illegally and unsafely exploiting the region’s natural resources.

DR Congo is a major supplier of coltan, a metallic ore containing minerals used to produce smartphones, computers, and aircraft engines, producing around 40 percent of the world’s supply in 2023.

Former miners from the area told the Associated Press that mines consist of large pits from which tunnels are dug by hand and left poorly maintained. Since many run parallel to one another, a collapse in one can cause several others to fail.

Prayers for flood victims in Mozambique, Portugal, Italy

At the Angelus, Pope Leo also prayed for the victims of recent storms in Portugal, southern Italy, and Mozambique.

At least 150 people were killed this week when severe storms struck Mozambique, and nearly a million people were affected by torrential rains and flooding.

In central Portugal, at least 6 people were killed due to Storm Kristin, which saw winds up to  202 kilometers per hour that left a trail of destruction.