RESCUE teams stopped their search after the bodies of 33 jade scavengers had been discovered from a landslide, according to the civil society organizations that are involved in rescue efforts.

A sand cliff collapsed at a jade mining site near Manna village in Phakant township on 13 August, injuring eight jade scavengers and leaving nearly 39 people missing. Rescue efforts were started by 13 civil society organizations, discovering 33 bodies as of 16 August and they stopped their search, Ko Thar Gyi, a member of a civil society organization told The Global New Light of Myanmar (GNLM) yesterday.

The incident of the sand cliff collapse happened in the jade working area lake, spanning around 1,000 feet in length, 250 feet in width, and towering over 400 feet in height. The collapse caused the water to surge into the lake, tragically trapping jade miners in the murky waters.

“During four days of search, 33 bodies have been discovered by rescue teams. According to a register of workers, 39 persons were estimated to be working there before the collapse. If the remaining bodies are found, local civil society organizations will arrange for funeral services. Our organization has stopped the search,” Ko Thar Gyi told the GNLM.

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