Myanmar: 96 Killed, Several Missing As Jade Mine Collapses After Landslide In Kachin State

At least 96 people were killed and many others were reported missing on Thursday (2 July) after a jade mine collapsed due to a landslide in Myanmar's Kachin state, authorities said.

Caused by the monsoon rains, the landslide occurred at the jade mining site in Sate Mu village tract of Hpakant township at 8:00am, Xinhua news agency quoted a statement from the Fire Services Department as saying.

Hundreds of miners were feared buried as the landslide took place during their work hours, but the exact number of casualties are yet to be known and rescue works are being carried out, a township police official told Xinhua.

Deadly landslides are frequent in Kachin state, known as land of jade, especially in Hpakant mining region.

A major landslide occurred in the region in November 2015, leaving at least 116 people dead.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)