YANGON (AFP) – The death toll from a landslide at an unregulated jade mine in a remote part of Myanmar has hit at least 31, with eight people still missing, rescuers said yesterday.
The disaster struck last Sunday outside northern Kachin’s Hpakant township, after torrential rain and floods ravaged the region over the weekend.
Jade mining in Myanmar is lucrative due to high demand from neighbouring country, but the unregulated industry is plagued with frequent worker deaths.
“We found six more dead bodies this morning,” a rescue worker told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity. They added that eight people remain unaccounted for, with the search continuing.
Rescuers dug through thick mud to find bodies, while others were discovered floating in water.
A massive pile of earth about 150 to 180 metres high – left behind by mining excavations – was loosened by the intense rainfall and collapsed, according to rescuers.
The rainy season had forced the suspension of mine operations but those caught in the landslide are believed to be locals who were trying to find something valuable in the mud.
