Rescue operations continued this Tuesday at the Lomera artisanal gold mine in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) after a shaft collapse over the weekend trapped an unknown number of miners underground.

The incident occurred early on Sunday morning at the site in South Kivu province’s Luhihi region, known for its precarious working conditions. 

Local sources estimate dozens may have been affected, although no official figures have been released.

"We were working in the shaft. My friends had been in the shaft since Saturday night. On Sunday morning, we learned that the shaft had collapsed. We tried to find them, but they never returned to where we sleep. Since there were three of them, until now, we don't know if we'll see them again," said miner Kulondwa Mapendano.

"There are shafts where 30 or 25 people enter, because even the drillers and shovelers go in. So, in the shaft, our friends were working with 25 drums," he added.

Survivors described the ground shaking before the collapse, which happened during heavy rain.

"There were many of us, because these shafts are drilled in several places. It was raining from all sides, including from above. Around 1 o'clock [AM], the shaft collapsed. Those who were at the top shouted. We went down through a central opening to another shaft, and that's how we got out. There were four of us. We thank the Lord," said Hubert Byamanine, a survivor with a bandage on his right eye.

"I was injured when I hit against stones while trying to escape. That's why I have this bandage. I also hurt my knee when I fell, and my hip still hurts. God helped me," he said.

Another miner said they initially thought the noise was panic rather than a collapse.

"In our case, I can't know how many people were there, because the day before yesterday we heard screams, but we thought it was our friends panicking, as usual here at the quarry. It was only in the morning that we learned there had been a collapse," said miner Christophe Badesire.

Mining operations have been suspended.

"We're not working today because of the collapse of these mountains and shafts. That's why they've been closed, and we were told we won't work until Thursday," said miner Jordan Buahasha.

The Lomera site is a sprawl of makeshift tents, sandbags, and basic mining equipment. Artisanal mining is a major source of income in eastern DRC but is often plagued by fatal accidents, poor safety measures, and little regulatory oversight.

Authorities have not yet released an official death toll or confirmed the number of missing miners.

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