Pakistan, June 30 -- At least five people were killed and around 15 remain missing after a landslide struck a disused jade mine in northern Myanmar. Heavy monsoon rains triggered the collapse, burying freelance jade scavengers searching for gemstone scraps. The disaster highlights persistent safety risks facing workers in Myanmar's largely unregulated jade mining industry.

According to state media, the landslide occurred late Sunday in Hpakant Township, the world's largest jade-producing region. Around 20 freelance scavengers were working under floodlights when a heap of mining waste suddenly collapsed. The Global New Light of Myanmar reported that several days of heavy rainfall had destabilized old waste piles, causing the deadly incide...