Around 10 jade scavengers were killed after a massive soil dump collapsed at an abandoned jade mine in Namhmaw Village, Hsengtaung Village Tract, Hpakant Township, Kachin State, while they were searching for leftover jadeite fragments, according to locals.
The collapse occurred around 1:00 a.m. on June 28 near an abandoned mine at the Thonethein jade mining site, close to Namhmaw Village. A number of scavengers were working beneath the dump when it gave way, resulting in multiple casualties.
A Hpakant resident told KNG that although around 10 scavengers are believed to have been buried in the landslide, only about 5 bodies had been recovered as of June 29.
“It's still difficult to say exactly how many people were buried. Right after the collapse yesterday, reports said 6 people were missing, but today the number has risen to around 10. The authorities say it isn't likely to be more than that. They've also started recovering some of the bodies,” he said.
The massive dump is believed to have collapsed after persistent monsoon rains softened the ground beneath it.
“When it rains, erosion often exposes small pieces of jade along the edges of the dump. The scavengers were searching for those fragments when the collapse happened,” the source added.
Hpakant Township, widely regarded as Myanmar's jade mining hub, has witnessed repeated fatal dump collapses over the years, with scavengers frequently among the victims.
In February, another dump collapse at the Kuday jade mining site in Hpakant killed at least 10 scavengers.
