KINSHASA Aug 15 (Reuters) – About 60 miners died when a
shaft in which they were working collapsed in a remote part of
northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, a UN-backed radio
station said on Wednesday.
The miners were 100 meters underground when the accident
occurred on Monday in Mambasa territory in Orientale Province,
Radio Okapi reported on its website.
Authorities in the Central African nation were not
immediately available to comment.
Mining companies AngloGold Ashanti and Randgold
operate in the region, which is known to be rich in tin
and gold.
Hundreds of thousands of people in eastern Congo make a
living in artisanal mines, where safety precautions are almost
nonexistent and accidents are common.
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