At least five people have been killed and 15 others remain missing after a landslide struck an abandoned jade mine in Myanmar’s northern Kachin State, state media reported, according to AFP.

The collapse occurred after days of heavy rainfall destabilised a massive waste dump at the abandoned mine. A group of informal miners searching for valuable jade stones was working at the site when the debris gave way, burying those below.

State-run newspaper The Global New Light of Myanmar confirmed that five bodies have been recovered, while search and excavation operations are continuing to locate at least 15 missing people.

According to the report, about 20 unregistered jade miners were working under floodlights in Hpakant Township on Sunday when the landslide occurred.

Myanmar’s jade mining industry has long been criticised for poor safety standards, weak regulation and illegal mining activities. Hpakant, in Kachin State, is home to the world’s largest jade deposits, supplying highly prized gemstones to markets across Asia, particularly China.

Since the 2021 military coup that ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, armed conflict has intensified across Myanmar. Several jade mining areas in Kachin are now controlled by armed groups, with revenues from gemstone sales widely believed to help finance their operations.

Fatal landslides are common in Myanmar’s jade mining region, particularly during the monsoon season, when heavy rain, unstable slopes and poor mining practices significantly increase the risk of disaster.