Amid ongoing rescue operations, three miners remain unaccounted for, while divers and engineers work in challenging conditions in Assam's remote Dima Hasao district.
Rescue Operations Intensify Amid Flooded Coal Mine Crisis in Assam
Rescue Operations Intensify Amid Flooded Coal Mine Crisis in Assam
Efforts are underway to save miners trapped in a flooded rat-hole mine in India, as authorities fear for the worst.
Rescue teams in India are racing against time to save nine miners trapped in a flooded rat-hole coal mine in the remote Dima Hasao district of Assam. Initial reports suggest that three of the men might be deceased, as local officials have indicated the discovery of bodies that are currently unreachable. The miners became caught in the disaster on Monday morning when heavy rains caused water to inundate the site.
Despite the 2014 ban on such mining activities due to safety concerns, illegal rat-hole mining persist in Assam and other northeastern states. In response to the incident, officials deployed divers, helicopters, and engineers to assist in the rescue, alongside state and national disaster response teams.
Assam's Director General of Police GP Singh shared updates on Monday evening, stating that authorities were verifying the exact number of miners still trapped. Reports have indicated that more than a dozen miners might have successfully escaped, suggesting that the total number of people currently stuck may be fewer than initially feared.
The tragic incident highlights ongoing issues with mine safety in the region, where mining disasters are not rare. In December 2018, another incident saw 15 miners trapped in a similar scenario in Meghalaya, where rescue efforts extended for months with limited success. In January 2024, a fire in Nagaland's rat-hole mine claimed the lives of six workers, reinforcing concerns over mining regulations in India.
As rescue operations continue through challenging conditions in the rugged terrain, the salvage effort symbolizes the urgent need for stricter enforcement of mining laws to prevent such tragedies in the future.
Despite the 2014 ban on such mining activities due to safety concerns, illegal rat-hole mining persist in Assam and other northeastern states. In response to the incident, officials deployed divers, helicopters, and engineers to assist in the rescue, alongside state and national disaster response teams.
Assam's Director General of Police GP Singh shared updates on Monday evening, stating that authorities were verifying the exact number of miners still trapped. Reports have indicated that more than a dozen miners might have successfully escaped, suggesting that the total number of people currently stuck may be fewer than initially feared.
The tragic incident highlights ongoing issues with mine safety in the region, where mining disasters are not rare. In December 2018, another incident saw 15 miners trapped in a similar scenario in Meghalaya, where rescue efforts extended for months with limited success. In January 2024, a fire in Nagaland's rat-hole mine claimed the lives of six workers, reinforcing concerns over mining regulations in India.
As rescue operations continue through challenging conditions in the rugged terrain, the salvage effort symbolizes the urgent need for stricter enforcement of mining laws to prevent such tragedies in the future.
