Myanmar: Kachin Mine Collapse - DREF Operation Final Report, n° MDRMM014
- Countries
- Myanmar
- Sources
- IFRC
- Publication date
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SITUATION ANALYSIS
Description of the disaster
On 02 July 2020 at 7:30 am local time, the Government of Myanmar reported the landslide on Jade mine in Laku Creek,
Ward-6, Wahkar village in Phakant (Hpakant) Township in Kachin State. By 03 July 2020, based on the AHA Centre reports, the Myanmar Fire Services Department reported 174 dead and 54 injured among of the injured people, 47 seriously injured people were transferred to the hospitals in Hpakant and Myitkyina.
The landslide was reportedly caused by heavy rain, according to the fire service. The Government authorities stated that the bank of Laku creek collapsed. This set off a fatal wave of mud and torrents of water onto the mine where dozens of informal jade ore miners were working in the mine pit, burying many of them under the thick layer of mud. Many of the miners were of daily-waged internal migrants from different parts of Myanmar.
The rescue efforts were initiated quickly and led by the Myanmar Fire Department and supported by 85 MRCS Red Cross volunteers (RCV), 10 members of state / district / Hpakant Township Red Cross committee, and other local organizations.