April 2019 Hpakant jade mine collapse
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| Date | 22 April 2019 |
|---|---|
| Location | Maw Wun Kalay, Hpakant, Kachin State, Myanmar |
| Coordinates | 25°37′30″N 96°16′48″E / 25.62500°N 96.28000°E |
| Deaths | 6 (including two rescue workers) |
| Missing | 50+ |
On 22 April 2019, a landslide triggered the collapse of a jade mine near Maw Wun Kalay, Hpakant, Kachin State, Myanmar, trapping at least 54 miners.[1][2] The deaths of four miners were confirmed, along with the later deaths of two rescue workers. [3][4] The remaining miners were presumed to have died.[5]
At 23:30 MMT, a mud-filled pond at a jade mine in Hpakant collapsed.[1] The mud and tailings in the pond buried miners below it in up to 30.5 metres of mud.[6] At the time, the miners were asleep in their residences, which were located below the mine.[7] The miners belonged to two different companies: Myanmar Thura and Shwe Nagar Koe Kaung,[8] while the mine was operated by Unity Co. [9] A photo taken some time before the mine collapse and posted on Facebook showed a large pool of water being formed above the miners, while the Myanmar Thura company mined against the earth under the water.[10]
Rescue efforts
Rescue efforts were started on 23 April, the morning after the collapse.[2] The efforts were coordinated by the local government and welfare organizations. According to Tin Soe, a politician representing the area, removing the mud "could cost millions of dollars."[6] He also said that "they [the miners buried under the landslide] won’t survive. It is not possible because they are buried under mud."[11] Four bodies were recovered.[3] The search for more miners was cancelled on 26 April, after another landslide killed two of the rescue workers.[4]