Local authorities confirmed that a 54-year-old man was killed while picking jade during a landslide in Hpakant this week.

The incident occurred at around 3:00 p.m. at the Yadanar San Shwin mining block near Nam Maw village in Seng Tawng village tract in the jade-rich township.

The deceased, Hla Tun Phyu, lived in Kawng San village, located near the site of the landslide. His body was transported to the Hpakant public hospital at around 4:40 p.m. on the same day.

“The deposited soil is about 300 feet high. The jade picker was killed in the landslide while looking for jade stones at the base of the soil deposit,” Hpakant administrator Nyan Lin Aung told KNG.

Landslides frequently occur in the heavily mined Hpakant area and have claimed multiple lives in recent years. In January alone, there have been at least two landslides already, locals said.