Yangon, Dec 22 (IANS) Over 80 people went missing in a jade mine landslide in Myanmar's Kachin state in the early hours of Wednesday, a local village administration official said."According to witnesses at the scene, the landslide left over 80 people missing and the rescue operation is being carried out," U Kyaw Min, an official of a village administration office, said.The landslide took place at around 4 a.m. local time, burying nearly 100 people including jade scavengers and vendors, a Hpakant township police officer told Xinhua news agency."There is no data about the exact number of the missing jade scavengers," the police officer said.The authorities and local rescue organisations are conducting the search and rescue operation in the slide-stricken area.Deadly landslides are frequent in Kachin state, especially in Hpakant mining region.Many locals make their 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 at a jade mining site in Hpakant township in July last year, leaving 174 dead and 54 others injured.
--IANS int/sks/bg
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