Landslide at Myanmar Jade Mine Kills at Least 113
Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2020 4:02 amVOA - World News
People gather near the bodies of victims of a landslide near a jade mine in Hpakant, Kachine state, northern Myanmar, July 2, 2020.
People gather near the bodies of victims of a landslide near a jade mine in Hpakant, Kachine state, northern Myanmar, July 2, 2020.
At least 113 workers at a jade mine in northern Myanmar were killed Thursday in a landslide.
The disaster was announced on the Facebook page of Myanmar's fire service. The miners were collecting the precious stones in Hpakant township in Kachin state when they were smothered by “a wave of mud” following heavy rains.
Fatal landslides and other accidents are a common occurrence in the area in recent years. Many of the victims are from impoverished ethnic communities who scour the jade mines searching for any of the precious stones missed by large mining firms.