KINSHASA, March 4 (Xinhua) -- More than 200 people were killed on Tuesday in a mine collapse in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the DRC government said Wednesday.

The incident occurred at the Rubaya mining sites, known for the coltan resources, in North Kivu province following "exceptionally heavy rains," according to a statement issued by the DRC Ministry of Mines.

According to the provisional toll, more than 200 people lost their lives, including around 70 minors.

The Rubaya mining zone has been under the control of the March 23 Movement (M23) rebel group since 2024, making rescue operations particularly difficult, the statement said.

The ministry noted that the mining zone had previously been reclassified since November as a "red zone," a designation that formally prohibits mining and mineral trading.

"There was indeed a landslide following heavy rainfall on the mountain known as Kasasa. The earth swallowed many people," David Kasereka, an artisanal miner and resident of Rubaya, told Xinhua on Tuesday.

The M23 has not yet commented on the incident.

In January, at least 200 people were killed after several shafts collapsed at coltan mining sites in Rubaya. Local media reported that the death toll may have exceeded 400, excluding those still missing.

Coltan, or columbite-tantalite, is the main source of tantalum, a rare metal used in the production of advanced electronic devices. The United Nations estimated that the Rubaya mines alone account for about 15 percent of the global tantalum supply. ■