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Myanmar. Mudslide in a jade mine. Over 100 miners are dead

Torrential rains in Burma led to a mudslide on Thursday at the jade mine in the north of the country, local authorities said. As reported, 113 bodies have been found so far. The rescue operation had to be stopped due to adverse weather conditions.

Miners were gathering stones in a jade-rich area near the city of Hpakant in the state of Kaczin, when heaps of mud and earth suddenly started moving, overwhelming people, said the Burmese fire brigade. A search and rescue operation was started, but it had to be stopped due to heavy rains – the local police reported.

Initially, at least 50 fatalities were reported, later it was reported that the tragic balance had increased to over 100. “We have found 113 corpses so far,” local services have reported. The dpa agency, citing a representative of the local authorities, in turn reports that as a result of the avalanche descent 110 miners were killed and 23 were injured.

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Mudslide in a jade mine in the north of Burma PAP/EPA/Myanmar Fire Services Department HANDOUT

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Mudslide in a jade mine in the north of Burma PAP/EPA/Myanmar Fire Services Department HANDOUT

Disasters in Burmese mines

Deadly mudslides and other accidents are common in poorly managed mines in the Hpakant area.

In April last year, 55 employees of a mining company died in the jade mine following the descent of such an avalanche. As a result of the landslide, a huge “mud lake” was created, in which miners drowned and about 40 cars sank. At that time, the authorities suspended 17 mining blocks for fear of human safety.

Burma is the world’s largest producer of jade, especially valued in China. However, working conditions in mines are often very bad there, and companies often employ workers illegally.

Dozens of people die in landslides in Burmese mines every year, usually in the rainy season, which lasts from May to October. In November 2015, over 100 people were killed in a similar disaster.

photo-source">Source of main photo: PAP/EPA/Myanmar Fire Services Department HANDOUT

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