Heavy monsoon rains have triggered yet another deadly landslide in northern Myanmar’s jade‑rich Kachin state, underscoring the dangers faced by those who scavenge for scraps in the country’s vast but poorly regulated mining sector. State media reported that a slag heap at a disused mine in Hpakant township gave way late on 28 June, burying around 20 freelance jade pickers who had been searching under floodlights. At least five bodies have been recovered, while search teams continue digging for some 15 people still missing. The collapse followed days of relentless rain that left old waste piles unstable. “The heap suddenly gave way,” the Global New Light of Myanmar said, noting that rescue efforts remain under way despite treacherous conditions. Accidents of this scale are tragically common in Hpakant, where impoverished locals risk their lives to sift through rubble discarded by major mining operations. The jade industry is immensely lucrative, particularly in neighbouring China where jadeite is prized, but those at the bottom of the chain often pay with their lives. The region has also become a flashpoint in Myanmar’s civil war. Since the military seized power in 2021, armed groups and junta forces have fought bitterly for control of jade mines, using profits to fund their campaigns. Recent months have seen fierce clashes in Hpakant, adding to the instability and danger faced by civilians. Myanmar’s jade trade is notorious for its lack of oversight. Unregulated mining, unsafe shafts and precarious waste heaps make the monsoon season especially perilous. Each year, heavy rains destabilise the fragile terrain, leading to mass casualty incidents that highlight both the human cost of poverty and the absence of effective regulation. For families of those missing, the wait is agonising. Rescue teams continue to dig through sodden earth, but hopes of finding survivors are fading. The tragedy is a stark reminder of the risks endured by those who depend on scavenging for survival, and of the broader turmoil engulfing Myanmar’s resource‑rich north. As the rains continue, the fear is that more collapses could follow, leaving communities braced for further loss. This latest disaster adds to a grim tally of mining accidents that show no sign of abating. -2026-07-01
