Jakarta – A jade mine in Kachin state, northern Myanmar, has collapsed, burying residential areas nearby. So far, at least 32 people have been confirmed dead in the incident.
“Thirty-one bodies have been recovered after three days of search efforts, and one person injured on the first day of the accident has died in the hospital,” an official told Xinhua, as quoted on Friday (January 17, 2025).
“Currently, the mud around the buried houses is being cleared, and roads covered by the landslide have been reopened. Although several people remain missing, the search operation has been suspended,” the official added.
According to an ABC News report, the collapse occurred early Monday (January 13) in Hpakant, Kachin state. This remote mountainous region is a hub of the jade mining industry, located about 950 kilometers north of Myanmar’s largest city, Yangon.
Residents, rescue teams, and independent media estimate that approximately 50 houses around the mining area were buried or damaged by muddy water seeping from waste and debris disposal ponds. It is believed that between 30 to 50 people are still missing.
The problem is that landslides due to mining collapses occur several times a year around the Hpakant jade mines. The worst incident happened in July 2020 in the same location, killing 162 people. Another occurred in November 2015, resulting in 113 fatalities.
Most of the victims are independent miners living near the debris piles dug out by heavy machinery used by mining companies. These miners usually sift through leftover jade fragments and live near abandoned pits, which become highly unstable during the rainy season.
Many of these miners are undocumented migrants from other regions, making it difficult to determine the exact number of missing persons after such accidents. Furthermore, illegal smuggling and sales complicate efforts to estimate the scale of the jade mining industry in the area.
However, revenues from jade, pearls, and gemstones from the region are estimated to reach billions of dollars. This high value is why, despite frequent landslides, many people continue jade mining activities, whether legally or illegally.
“The mine is also a major revenue source for the Kachin Independence Army, an armed ethnic group based in Kachin state that has been fighting for decades against the central government for greater autonomy,” ABC reported.