3 dead, 6 still trapped in flooded Assam coal mine
What's the story
At least three of the nine workers trapped in a flooded coal mine in Assam's Dima Hasao district have been confirmed dead. The incident occurred on Monday morning when the miners, aged between 26 and 57, were working at a depth of around 300 feet. The mine flooded after they accidentally breached a water source. Initial rescue efforts by locals saved some workers but nine remained trapped.
Rescue efforts
Rescue operations intensify amidst challenging conditions
The National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Relief Force (SDRF) have sent a total of 38 personnel to the site. They are accompanied by specialist divers, an Engineers Task Force of the Army and Assam Rifles, and Navy deep divers from Vishakhapatnam. The water level inside the mine has risen to nearly 100 feet, further complicating rescue operations.
Official response
Assam CM seeks Army's help, expresses distress over situation
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has sought help from the Indian Army in the rescue operations. He took to social media to express his distress over the incident, saying, "Distressing news from Umrangshu, where laborers are trapped in a coal mine." The mine's remoteness, located some six hours from Halflong district headquarters, adds to the challenges for rescuers.
Incident details
Mine flooding cause remains unclear, no rainfall reported
The mine is run by Assam's mines and minerals department and a private firm was contracted for mining. No one from the private firm was present at the site during the incident. The cause of the flooding remains unclear as there was no rainfall in the region at that time. The incident echoes a similar tragedy in Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills in 2018, where 15 workers died after being trapped in a flooded rat-hole mine.