Five diamond diggers tragically lost their lives on Saturday, March 22, following a land collapse in the Kanfuma mining area, located in the diamond-rich territory of Tshikapa, in the Kasai province of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The incident occurred after heavy rains on the night of Friday, March 21, which weakened the walls of a diamond pit. The collapse resulted in the deaths of the five diggers working at the site.
Their bodies were recovered and prepared for burial, according to Kangola Mike, a manager of the Kanfuma mining area.
Despite the inherent dangers, artisanal diamond mining remains a vital source of livelihood for many residents in Tshikapa.
