YANGON, July 2 (Xinhua) -- Bodies of at least 50 jade scavengers have been recovered so far after a massive landslide in Myanmar's Kachin state on Thursday morning, according to a press release from the Fire Services Department.
Caused by the monsoon rains, the landslide occurred at a jade mining site in Sate Mu village tract of Hpakant township at 08:00 a.m. local time, the release said.
Hundreds of jade scavengers were feared buried as the landslide took place during their working hours, but exact numbers of casualties are yet to be known and rescue works are being carried out, a township police told Xinhua.
Deadly landslides are frequent in Kachin state, known as land of jade, especially in Hpakant mining region.
Many locals make living by jade scavenging in the region and most of the landslides are caused by the partial collapse of tailings heaps and dams.
A major fatal landslide occurred in the region in November 2015, leaving at least 116 jade scavengers dead.
