Landslide at Myanmar Jade Mining Hub in Kachin Leaves 162 People Dead

A landslide at a jade mining site in Myanmar has left 162 people dead with heavy rains forcing authorities to pause search and rescue efforts.

The deceased were mostly small-time miners collecting stones at old mining sites in Hpakant town in northern Kachin state. They were buried by mud after heavy rains led to the collapse of a quarry, the fire department said in a Facebook post. Another 23 people were injured and taken to nearby hospitals.

Hpakant is known to be a jade mining area and has seen several deadly accidents in recent years due to the monsoon season.

Myanmar sells most of its jade to China and those exports have increased 68% to $761.4 million in the fiscal year ended April 2018, official data show. This has attracted informal miners who want to be part of the lucrative industry with many often ignoring safety warnings in their search for jade.

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