A landslide at a jade mine in northern Myanmar has killed 17 people, local authorities said Friday, the latest disaster to hit the murky multi-billion dollar industry.

Myanmar is the world's top producer of the near-translucent green gem in trade fueled by demand from neighbouring China.

But the poorly regulated industry is notorious for its links to cronies from Myanmar's former junta and for the dangers it poses to those who scrabble across a moonscape of environmental destruction hoping to strike it rich.

The accident early Friday occurred in a mining compound near Wak Khar village in Kachin State's Hpakant township, the epicentre of the perilous work.

"A wall of rock fell after people tried to dig for jade under it," local administrative officer Nilar Myint told AFP.

"We have now found 17 dead bodies and we have sent nine survivors to hospital," she added.

A second source involved in the rescue and recovery process confirmed the death toll.

A number of deadly landslides has struck the area around Hpakant in recent years, with one major incident in November 2015 leaving more than 100 dead.

Several other smaller accidents have killed or injured scores more.

The victims are often itinerant workers or impoverished local residents who see little profit from the industry and are left to scour the mining areas for pieces of jade left behind by giant industrial diggers.

The NGO Global Witness said the industry was worth some $31 billion in 2014 alone, with much of the funds not reaching state coffers.

Myanmar's northernmost state of Kachin is rich in resources but a source of long running conflict, which intensified in 2011 after a ceasefire between ethnic insurgents and the government broke down.

Thousands of people have fled their home in recent weeks after a renewed bout of clashes, according to the United Nations.

Related Links
Bringing Order To A World Of Disasters
A world of storm and tempest
When the Earth Quakes

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Before the flood arrives
Pasadena CA (JPL) Apr 30, 2018
River floods are one of the most common and devastating of Earth's natural disasters. In the past decade, deluges from rivers have killed thousands of people every year around the world and caused losses on the order of tens of billions of U.S. dollars annually. Climate change, which is projected to increase precipitation in certain areas of the planet, might make river floods in these places more frequent and severe in the coming decades. Now, a new study led by researchers at NASA's Jet Propulsi ... read more