‘MINERS WERE SMOTHERED’

At Least 113 People Killed in Huge Wave of Mud After Collapse of Myanmar Jade Mine

The nation’s fire department said people were engulfed by mud after heavy rain.

At least 113 people have been killed after a huge wave of mud engulfed workers who were collecting jade stones in Myanmar. A search is underway for people who are still unaccounted for at the site in the Hpakant area of the northern Kachin state. The Associated Press reported that the death toll was confirmed by Maung Myint, a lawmaker in the area, who said another 54 people were hurt. BBC News reported that the nation’s fire service said in a statement: “The jade miners were smothered by a wave of mud, which hit after heavy rainfall.” Video of the incident reportedly shows the wave of mud flowing into a large pit before the walls collapse, sending water flowing into the valley below. Maung Khaing, a 38-year-old miner, told Reuters: “All the people at the bottom [of the hill] just disappeared. I feel empty in my heart... There were people stuck in the mud shouting for help but no-one could help them.”