In May, at least 14 miners were killed in a similar collapse in Hpakant region, Kachin state, northern Myanmar. (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) - A landslide occurring due to the collapse of pit wall of a disused jade mining site on July 14 killed at least 15 people and injured at least 45 others in Hpakant region, Kachin state, northern Myanmar.
Local authorities said the search in the area was called off for the day after 15 bodies were pulled from the mud and 45 injured people were taken to a nearby hospital. The work would be resumed on July 15.
Han Thar, secretary for the ruling National League for Democracy party in Hpakant, said more people may still be buried in the rubble. He said there might have been about 100 people were mining for precious stones when the accident occurred, adding that authorities had appealed to people in the area to report anyone still missing
Local authorities said the affected miners were not working for a company, and that they are investigating the cause of the mishap.
Informal jade scavengers, or hand-pickers, are frequently caught up in landslides in the poorly regulated mining area. In May, at least 14 miners were killed in a similar collapse in the same area, and more than 100 people were killed in a landslide in Hpakant in 2015.-VNA
VNA
