Landslide at Myanmar jade mine leaves more than 30 people missing, says rescue official

“A landslide at a jade mine in northern Myanmar left more than 30 people missing and a search-and-rescue operation was under way on August 14,” a rescue official said.

“A landslide at a jade mine in northern Myanmar left more than 30 people missing and a search-and-rescue operation was under way on August 14,” a rescue official said.

The incident occurred in Hpakant, a remote mountainous town in Kachin state about 950 kilometres (600 miles) north of Myanmar's biggest city, Yangon. The area is the epicenter of the world's biggest and most lucrative jade mines.

The leader of a local rescue team coordinating search efforts told The Associated Press on August 14 that more than 30 miners who were digging for jade were swept into a lake when the landslide hit near Manna village around 3.30 p.m. on Sunday. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he feared being arrested by the military.

“Earth and debris from several mines near the village slid 304 metres (about 1,000 feet) down a cliff into the lake below and struck the miners on the way,” he said.

He said 34 people were confirmed missing and local rescue teams were searching the lake on Monday. “Eight miners were injured and taken to a local hospital on Sunday,” he said.

A miner who asked not to be identified because he feared for his safety said three of his colleagues who were digging for jade were carried down into the lake by the landslide. He said most of the victims were men. Similar accidents usually occur on a smaller scale and do not get much attention.

The victims are usually independent miners who settle near giant mounds of discarded earth that have been excavated by heavy machinery used by mining companies. They scavenge for bits of jade and usually work and live in abandoned mining pits at the base of the unstable mounds of earth. Most of the scavengers are unregistered migrants from other areas.