YANGON, June 24 (NNN-MNA) – At least two jade scavengers were killed and five others injured, in a landslide in Myanmar’s northernmost state of Kachin on Tuesday, a local official said.
The landslide took place when a 91.4-metre-high slag heap collapsed at a jade mining site in Hpakant township, at around 4:00 p.m. local time (0930 GMT).
“Investigation is underway and the exact number of casualties and missing ones can only be known tomorrow (this) morning,” the official from the Hpakant Township Police Station, said.
Search and rescue work were being carried out by the authorities, the official said.
Mining accidents are frequent in the country’s Hpakant mining region and most of the fatalities are caused by landslides.
Many people make their living by illegal jade scavenging in the region.– NNN-MNA
