YANGON: A giant boulder rolled down a mountain near a BOC fuel station on the outskirts of Taunggyi, Shan State in eastern Myanmar, late on September 19, damaging a government building and two vehicles. No casualties were reported.
The incident occurred at around 10:30pm near the Department of Mines office in Thit Taw Ward, Taunggyi. The boulder struck a single-storey building within the Shan State mining office compound before crossing the road and coming to rest in an open area near the fuel station’s storage facilities.
The damaged vehicles were a Nissan X-Trail and a Honda Fit, both grey.
Emergency crews cleared the affected road overnight, restoring access by 1:30am on September 20. Officials, including the Shan State Minister for Security and Border Affairs, inspected the site that morning. Further assessments of the mountain slope are planned, while machinery will be used to remove the boulder.
Authorities said heavy rainfall had softened the ground on the mountain, contributing to the rockfall. A similar incident reportedly occurred near the same location during the March 28, 2025 Mandalay earthquake. - Eleven Media/ANN
