YANGON — At least five people have been confirmed dead and 15 others remain missing after a landslide struck an abandoned jade mine in northern Myanmar, with continuous heavy rain hampering rescue efforts.
China’s Xinhua News Agency reported that the collapse occurred after persistent rainfall triggered a landslide at an abandoned jade mining site, causing piles of mining debris to give way.
According to The Global New Light of Myanmar, the landslide occurred in Hpakant township, Kachin State, on Sunday, 28 June 2026. As of the latest update, authorities had confirmed five fatalities, while around 15 people were still unaccounted for.
Local authorities, volunteer rescue groups and residents have continued search and rescue operations despite ongoing rain and the risk of further landslides. The bodies recovered from the site have been returned to their families.
Hpakant is home to some of the world’s highest-quality jade deposits and has long been prone to deadly landslides, particularly during the monsoon season. Reports said many local residents and migrant workers continue searching abandoned mines for leftover jade despite the significant danger.
