Monsoon rains triggered the collapse of a slag heap at a disused Myanmar jade mine, killing five people scavenging for gem scraps and leaving around 15 more missing, state media said on Tuesday (June 30, 2026)
Myanmar has a huge unregulated mining sector, and northern Kachin state is the world’s largest hugely lucrative in neighbouring China
Factions fighting in Myanmar’s post-coup civil war control many mines, using profits to fill their coffers while impoverished locals toil underground or scrounge for leftovers to make a living
“Around 20 freelance jade scavengers searching the site under floodlights were buried when the heap suddenly gave way” late on Sunday (June 28, 2026) in Kachin’s Hpakant township, state media said
“The collapse occurred after days of heavy rain left old mine waste heaps unstable,” the newspaper The Global New Light of Myanmar, said
“At least five people have been confirmed dead, and around 15 remain missing,” it added. “Search teams continue digging for those still missing,” it said
Mass casualty accidents are common at Myanmar’s mines, particularly in monsoon season, when rains destabilise sites where workers have dug unsafe shafts or piled up precarious waste heaps
Those who sift through the discarded rubble for gem fragments missed by the main mining operations are on the bottom rung of the highly profitable industry
Hpakant has also witnessed vicious combat in recent months between the Myanmar military and opposition forces, vying for control of jade mining operations
Myanmar has been consumed by a civil war since the military toppled the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021, ending a decade-long experiment with democracy
