A report by AFP citing&nbsp;emergency workers, on Tuesday (August 15), said rescuers have recovered 25 bodies while 14 people remain missing after being swept into a lake after a huge landslide at a jade mine in northern Myanmar. The incident occurred in the remote mountainous town of Hpakant in the country’s Kachin state, home to some of the world’s biggest jade mines.

<h2>What happened?</h2>

According to reports citing rescue workers, the incident took place on Sunday and also comes days after much of the country was swamped by heavy rains and floods. More than 100 rescue workers were looking for survivors, a member of the rescue team, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told Reuters, on Monday.&nbsp;

The news agency citing the rescue team member also said that eight people who were injured were taken to the hospital on Sunday.&nbsp;"We found 25 dead bodies in total today," a rescue worker told AFP on Tuesday,&nbsp;adding that 14 people were still missing.&nbsp;

Search and rescue efforts&nbsp;will continue Wednesday, as per the report.&nbsp;Rescuers had to reportedly dig&nbsp;through mud to find bodies, while others were floating in water.

Meanwhile, citing witnesses, Tar Lin Maung, a local journalist said the waste heap that collapsed on Sunday was about 150 metres high. “There is no chance that they would survive in this muddy lake,” said Tar Lin Maung, as quoted by Reuters, on Monday.&nbsp;

<h2>Jade mining in Myanmar</h2>

A report by the Associated Press, on Monday, also citing a member of the rescue team, said that while the search and rescue efforts were continuing, some miners had already returned to the scene in the hope of finding jade.

This comes after the mine’s operations were said to have been suspended following the landslide.&nbsp;

Notably, the site of the incident is said to be the centre of Myanmar’s secretive and highly lucrative jade industry, which is mostly unregulated.

Myanmar produces about 90 per cent of the world’s jade, a gem that is highly coveted in neighbouring China.

Dozens die annually, while many low-paid migrant workers continue to risk their lives daily picking through unstable earth and rubble excavated by mining companies to search for small pieces of semi-precious stone.&nbsp;

The site has also witnessed some of Asia’s worst mining disasters. In 2020, at least 170 miners were killed after a landslide at the Hpakant township.

The jade mines are estimated to be worth around $30 billion a year and are said to be an important source of revenue for Myanmar’s military government, which took over the country after a coup.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp; 
 
 
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A report by AFP citing emergency workers, on Tuesday (August 15), said rescuers have recovered 25 bodies while 14 people remain missing after being swept into a lake after a huge landslide at a jade mine in northern Myanmar.

A report by AFP citing emergency workers, on Tuesday (August 15), said rescuers have recovered 25 bodies while 14 people remain missing after being swept into a lake after a huge landslide at a jade mine in northern Myanmar. The incident occurred in the remote mountainous town of Hpakant in the country’s Kachin state, home to some of the world’s biggest jade mines. What happened? According to reports citing rescue workers, the incident took place on Sunday and also comes days after much of the country was swamped by heavy rains and floods. More than 100 rescue workers were looking for survivors, a member of the rescue team, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told Reuters, on Monday. The news agency citing the rescue team member also said that eight people who were injured were taken to the hospital on Sunday. "We found 25 dead bodies in total today," a rescue worker told AFP on Tuesday, adding that 14 people were still missing. Search and rescue efforts will continue Wednesday, as per the report. Rescuers had to reportedly dig through mud to find bodies, while others were floating in water. Meanwhile, citing witnesses, Tar Lin Maung, a local journalist said the waste heap that collapsed on Sunday was about 150 metres high. “There is no chance that they would survive in this muddy lake,” said Tar Lin Maung, as quoted by Reuters, on Monday. Jade mining in Myanmar A report by the Associated Press, on Monday, also citing a member of the rescue team, said that while the search and rescue efforts were continuing, some miners had already returned to the scene in the hope of finding jade. This comes after the mine’s operations were said to have been suspended following the landslide. Notably, the site of the incident is said to be the centre of Myanmar’s secretive and highly lucrative jade industry, which is mostly unregulated. Myanmar produces about 90 per cent of the world’s jade, a gem that is highly coveted in neighbouring China. Dozens die annually, while many low-paid migrant workers continue to risk their lives daily picking through unstable earth and rubble excavated by mining companies to search for small pieces of semi-precious stone. The site has also witnessed some of Asia’s worst mining disasters. In 2020, at least 170 miners were killed after a landslide at the Hpakant township. The jade mines are estimated to be worth around $30 billion a year and are said to be an important source of revenue for Myanmar’s military government, which took over the country after a coup. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Myanmar: At least 25 killed, 14 missing after landslide at jade mine in Hpakant

A landslide at a jade mine in northern Myanmar has killed at least one person and left dozens more missing, according to a member of the rescue squad.

The landslide in Kachin state's Hpakant district occurred at 4 a.m. local time on Wednesday, and there were fears that up to 100 people could be missing.

"We've sent 25 injured people to the hospital while we've found one deceased," said Ko Nyi, a member of the rescue squad.

He said some 200 rescuers were looking for bodies, with others using boats to hunt for the deceased in a nearby lake.&nbsp; 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/how-jade-the-precious-stone-is-funding-ethnic-conflicts-in-myanmar-18223">Also read | How jade, the precious stone, is funding ethnic conflicts in Myanmar</a>

According to the Kachin News Group, the landslide killed 20 miners, while Myanmar's fire service said its workers from Hpakant and the nearby town of Lone Khin were involved in the rescue effort but did not provide any figures for the dead or missing.

According to Reuters, up to 80 people could have been pushed into the lake by mining waste, according to a representative from the Kachin Network Development Foundation, a civil society organisation. 
 
<img alt="Hpakant" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="825f4a3b-6f9d-4096-b0fc-e05c75d4be9b" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%282%29_160.jpg" /> 
File photo: Miners work in open-cast jade mines near Hpakant in Myanmar's Kachin state. (AFP Photo)

Myanmar is the world's largest producer of jade, yet its mines have been plagued by accidents.

An overflow of rubble thrown from vehicles to the open-pit mines is thought to have caused the avalanche.&nbsp;

The jade mines in Myanmar are notoriously hazardous.

On July 2, 2020, a major landslide at the Wai Khar jade mining site in the Hpakant area of Kachin State, Myanmar, killed between 175 and 200 miners in the country's deadliest-ever mining accident.&nbsp;

Low-paid migrant workers who toil in the mines face perilous working conditions, especially during the monsoon season.

In the industry, which is controlled by the military elite and private companies, equipment failures and other accidents are regular.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

A landslide at a jade mine in northern Myanmar has killed at least one person and left dozens more missing, according to a member of the rescue squad. The landslide in Kachin state's Hpakant district occurred at 4 a.

A landslide at a jade mine in northern Myanmar has killed at least one person and left dozens more missing, according to a member of the rescue squad. The landslide in Kachin state's Hpakant district occurred at 4 a.m. local time on Wednesday, and there were fears that up to 100 people could be missing. "We've sent 25 injured people to the hospital while we've found one deceased," said Ko Nyi, a member of the rescue squad. He said some 200 rescuers were looking for bodies, with others using boats to hunt for the deceased in a nearby lake. Also read | How jade, the precious stone, is funding ethnic conflicts in Myanmar According to the Kachin News Group, the landslide killed 20 miners, while Myanmar's fire service said its workers from Hpakant and the nearby town of Lone Khin were involved in the rescue effort but did not provide any figures for the dead or missing. According to Reuters, up to 80 people could have been pushed into the lake by mining waste, according to a representative from the Kachin Network Development Foundation, a civil society organisation. File photo: Miners work in open-cast jade mines near Hpakant in Myanmar's Kachin state. (AFP Photo) Myanmar is the world's largest producer of jade, yet its mines have been plagued by accidents. An overflow of rubble thrown from vehicles to the open-pit mines is thought to have caused the avalanche. The jade mines in Myanmar are notoriously hazardous. On July 2, 2020, a major landslide at the Wai Khar jade mining site in the Hpakant area of Kachin State, Myanmar, killed between 175 and 200 miners in the country's deadliest-ever mining accident. Low-paid migrant workers who toil in the mines face perilous working conditions, especially during the monsoon season. In the industry, which is controlled by the military elite and private companies, equipment failures and other accidents are regular. (With inputs from agencies)

Myanmar jade mine landslide: One killed, over 70 feared missing

At least 110 people were killed, and around 200 others are trapped after a jade mine collapsed in Hpakant, northern Myanmar on July 2. Watch report.

WION Dispatch: 110 killed as mine collapses in Myanmar | Rescue underway | Hpakant mines