25 dead after Myanmar jade mine landslide

YANGON: Rescuers have recovered 25 bodies while 14 people remain missing after a landslide at an unregulated jade mine in a remote region of Myanmar, emergency workers said Tuesday.

Myanmar has been hit with torrential rain and floods in recent days and the landslide occurred Sunday outside northern Kachin’s Hpakant township.

Jade mining in Myanmar is a lucrative business but the unregulated industry is plagued with frequent worker deaths including more than 170 fatalities in the same area following a 2020 landslide.

“We found 25 dead bodies in total today,” a rescue worker told AFP on Tuesday, adding that 14 people were still missing and the recovery effort would continue Wednesday.

Rescuers had to dig through mud to find bodies, while others were floating in water.

A massive pile of earth about 150-180 metres (500-600 feet) high left behind by mining excavations was loosened by the intense rainfall and collapsed, according to rescuers.

The mine’s operations had been suspended during the rainy season, but those caught in the landslide were believed to be locals hoping to find something valuable in the mud.

The jade industry relies on low-paid migrant workers to scrape out a gem highly coveted in neighbouring China.

Jade and other abundant natural resources in Myanmar’s north – including timber, gold and amber – have helped finance both sides of a decades-long civil war between ethnic Kachin insurgents and the military.

While environmentalist and rights groups have long called for reforms, a 2021 military coup effectively ended hopes for better standards in the industry, according to international watchdogs.