A tragic disaster unfolded in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where a large section of a copper mine near Kolwezi collapsed, leaving dozens feared dead. Local reports suggest that as many as 70 people may have lost their lives in the incident, which occurred on Saturday in Lualaba province.
A video circulating online — filmed from a distance — captures the terrifying moment the earth gave way, sending miners scrambling for safety as the ground crumbled beneath them. Despite the chaos, many workers were unable to escape, and rescue teams have been working tirelessly in hopes of finding survivors still trapped under the debris.
Mining accidents are sadly all too common in the DRC. Many sites operate with little to no regulation, lacking the safety measures and infrastructure needed to protect workers in such hazardous conditions. This latest collapse highlights once again the dangerous reality faced daily by miners in one of the world’s richest resource regions.
Authorities have yet to release an official death toll, but the scale of the collapse has left local communities bracing for devastating news as search and rescue efforts continue.
😱A huge section of a copper mine collapsed on workers in the DRC
According to various reports, between 30 and 50 people were killed, and dozens of miners are still trapped under the rubble. pic.twitter.com/GSJ6rsQ51r
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) November 16, 2025
