Over 160  die at mining site as mud covers many others

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

A landslide that occurred at a mine site on the early hours of thursday has killed at least 160 people while many  other bodies are trapped in the mud.

The incident took place in the jade-rich Hpakant area of Kachin state of Myanmar after a devastating rainfall in the area, officials reported that death tolls are likely to rise above the already stated figure as about 54 are taken to hospital.

A report pasted on the facebook page of the Myanmar Fire Services Department said, that a wave of mud suffocated the jade miners resulting to the death of the about 162 bodies that have been found so far, a search and rescue team was also seen wading through a valley apparently flooded by the mudslide.

An eye witness in the area, Maung Khaing said he saw a towering pile of waste that looked on the verge of collapse and was about to take a picture when people began shouting “run, run!”

Victims of the Myanmar landslide

Khaing stated that Within a minute, all the people at the bottom of the hill disappeared.

“I feel empty in my heart. I still have goosebumps.. There were people stuck in the mud shouting for help, but no one could help them.”

A local official with the information ministry in the area,Tar Lin Maung, said authorities had recovered more than 100 bodies, while other bodies are in the mud.

Heavy rain continued all day during the rescue work.

Police said some people had defied a warning issued on Wednesday not to work in the area after the rainfall, although the advice may also have saved many lives

Those who died in the disaster were said to be informal workers scavenging the waste left by a larger mining company in the area.

Such Fatal landslides are common in the poorly regulated mines of Hpakant, the victims often from impoverished communities who risk their lives hunting the transparent  green gemstone.

In 2016 when Aung San Suu Kyi, took power as the leader of the government of Myanmar he  pledged to clean up the industry, but according to activists nothing seems to have changed since then till now.

As part of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative data published by government
Official sales of jade in Myanmar were worth $750.4m in 2016-2017.

Though experts believe the exports which goes mainly to China out values its quoted  worth with the Northern Myanmar’s abundant natural resources of,  jade, timber, gold and amber.