A dozen clandestine miners died when a makeshift gold mine collapsed in the north of the Democratic Republic of Congo, UN radio Okapi reported Monday.

The accident took place around midday Saturday near Bondo in Lower Uele province, the report quoted regional deputy Eddy Pascal Sinango as saying.

It was the latest in a series of mine accidents that have killed around 50 people so far this year, Okapi added, quoting local Radio Tele Uele (RTU).

"Seventeen people entered a gold shaft in a quarry that was closed by mine officials since last January," Okapi said in reference to the latest disaster.

A landslide killed 10 immediately, while six others were injured, two of whom died after being taken to hospital, it added.

Okapi quoted RTU as saying that a similar accident occurred later Saturday around 55 kilometres (35 miles) from Bondo.

One miner died in that accident after he returned into a shaft to retrieve his pump after it began to rain.

RTU said that around 20 landslides have occurred in the area since January.