2015 Hpakant jade mine disaster
On 21 November 2015, a major landslide in Hpakant, Kachin State, northern Myanmar killed at least 116 people near a jade mine, with around 100 more missing.
Landslide
The landslide occurred in the early morning hours, when a man-made heap of waste soil from the nearby jade mine collapsed. Many of those killed were people living in a small village near the waste heap, including both miners and those who scavenged through the waste soil looking for jade remnants to sell. The cause of the collapse is not known.Rescue efforts by the Myanmar Red Cross and other groups were made to find and recover survivors; one person was pulled alive from the rubble, but subsequently died from injuries. At least 116 bodies were reportedly recovered and around 100 people were reported missing. The total number of casualties could not be accurately estimated, as the precise number of people who lived near the site was not known. According to a Hpakant Township General Administration Department official, people had been warned to avoid living near the waste heap because of risk of landslides.