YANGON, June 30 (Xinhua) -- At least five people have been confirmed dead, and around 15 remained missing in a jade mine collapse in Hpakant township in Kachin state, northern Myanmar, the state-owned daily The Global New Light of Myanmar reported on Tuesday.
The mine collapse occurred after a waste heap at a disused jade mining site collapsed near Namthmaw village in Hpakant township, Kachin state, on Sunday, the report said.
Local authorities, volunteer groups, and residents conducted rescue operations on Monday despite persistent rain and the risk of further landslides, the report said.
The bodies recovered so far are being returned to their families, the report said.
Hpakant, home to some of the world's finest jade, experiences frequent landslides during the monsoon season. Many residents and migrant workers search abandoned mining sites for leftover jade despite the significant risks, the report added. ■
