29 July

At least 19 people, including 16 security guards employed with a mining company and three policemen, were reportedly killed yesterday in a landslide at a jade mine in Hpakant, Kachin State.

Around 1.45 p.m. on Sunday, the cliff along the mine collapsed, falling around 500 ft into the lake, killing 16 security guards and five policemen with it, according to the local authorities. Two of the policemen were rescued later.

“So far, the bodies of 13 security guards have been retrieved from the mud lake, and the rescue operation is on to find the remaining three security guards and the three policemen,” according to the Hpakant Township Information and Public Relations Department.

“The two injured policemen, Constable Hsan Win and Constable Wai Yan Ko Ko, were taken to the Hpakant People’s Hospital,” according to the Fire Serves Department. Three security guard posts and one four-wheel drive car were also buried in the accident, according to the authorities.

On July 15, another deadly landslide had led to the death of four persons. A landslide in April had killed 54 persons and buried dozens of vehicles. Landslides in Hpakant kill dozens every year. — Tar Lin Maung (IPRD) (Translated by Kyaw Zin Lin)