Landslide claims one life, 15 missing

YANGON: One person was killed with about 15 others missing in a landslide in Myanmar’s Kachin state, an official said yesterday.

“The landslide occurred due to a collapse of a heap of mining waste while jade pickers were scavenging tailings at a mining site in Seikmu village tract in Hpakant township of Kachin state at 8.15pm local time on Saturday, leaving eight people with injuries,” said U Kyaw Min, official of administration office in Wai Khar village. Rescue operations resumed yesterday.

Many locals make a living by jade scavenging in the region and most of the landslides are caused by the partial collapse of tailings heaps and dams. A major fatal landslide occurred in the region in July 2020, causing at least 174 deaths with 54 injured.