Rescuers in India race to save men trapped in a flooded mine

Rescue workers in India are racing against time to free miners trapped inside a flooded coal mine in the northeastern state of Assam.

Reuters reported that there were fears that three of the nine men who were inside had died, after the state government said that rescue teams had spotted some bodies that they were unable to reach.

The men were trapped on Monday morning after the so-called “rat hole” mine, a narrow pit dug by hand to extract coal, was flooded with water.

Despite a ban on such mining in India since 2014, small-scale illegal mines still operate in Assam and other northeastern states.

The Indian Army, which is participating in the rescue efforts, said in a statement that its personnel arrived at the site in the morning and were providing assistance to the local administration.

The statement added, “Senior officials from the Indian Army will also arrive at the site to coordinate with the civil administration.”

He added that the army’s relief force includes “divers, explosives experts, medical staff and necessary equipment.”

JP Singh, Director General of Assam Police, said on Monday evening that authorities were ascertaining the exact number of people trapped.

Reports stated that more than a dozen miners managed to escape, and initial reports indicated that “the numbers will be in the single digits.”

The mine is located in the mountainous region of Dima Hasaw.

Mayank Kumar Jha, a senior police official in the area, told Reuters that the area was very “remote” and “difficult to reach”.

Mine-related disasters are common in northeastern India.

In December 2018, at least 15 men were trapped in an illegal mine in the neighboring state of Meghalaya after it was flooded with water from a nearby river.

Five miners managed to escape, but efforts to rescue the others continued until the first week of March of the following year. Only two bodies were recovered.

In January 2024, six workers were killed after a fire broke out in a coal mine in Nagaland state.

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