Road closed after Lampang’s Mae Moh Mine landslide
LAMPANG: A local road in Mae Moh district of this northern province has been closed after a landslide at a dump site of the Mae Moh Mine operated by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat).
Prachuab Donkhammoon, Mae Moh Mine’s director for planning and administration, said the landslide took place at about 9am on Saturday when earth at the dump site collapsed over a distance of more than one kilometre.
The earth fell about 100 metres, burying the road between Mae Moh Mine and tambon Ban Dong. The earth foundations of a bridge on the road also collapsed, leaving large breaches at both ends. A conveyor belt and more than 50 concrete power posts along the road were also toppled.
The road has been closed, outsiders barred from entering the area and all entrances to the mine blocked.
People who regularly use the road have been forced to take other roads to circumvent he mine.
Egat and other agencies concerned are investigating the cause of the landslide, said Mr Prachuab, adding that the collapsed conveyor belt used for removing earth had just been installed and never used.
Mae Moh Mine is the largest open-pit lignite mine in Southeast Asia. The mine produces and supplies lignite to Egat’s Mae Moh power plant to generate electricity.
Source: https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1430527/road-closed-after-mae-moh-mine-landslide
