GUWAHATI, India — Authorities in Assam, located in northeastern India, reported that at least nine miners are currently trapped inside a flooded coal mine. To aid in the rescue efforts, the army has been called in.
The incident occurred on Monday morning in the Umrangso area of Dima Hasao district, approximately 125 miles (200 kilometers) south of Guwahati, the state capital. Local government minister, Kaushik Rai, who is overseeing the rescue operation, stated that the miners are feared to be trapped around 300 feet below ground after water surged into the mine from a nearby abandoned site. Efforts are underway to mobilize the necessary resources for their rescue.
Rescue teams, including soldiers from the army and a national disaster management unit, have been using ropes and cranes to assist with the ongoing operation. During the search, rescuers uncovered three helmets, a few slippers, and several other belongings belonging to the miners. Rai mentioned that divers managed to dive into depths of 35 to 40 feet of water within the mine; however, the water level is now estimated to have risen to approximately 100 feet.
Assam’s Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, took to social media to express concerns regarding the legality of the mine, indicating that it appears to be operating outside the law. As part of the investigation, police have detained one person. Workers at the site have claimed that there were over a dozen miners trapped in the mine, which reportedly fails to meet essential safety standards. Some miners were able to escape as water began flooding the site from the adjacent abandoned mine.
In the eastern and northeastern regions of India, the extraction of coal often occurs within treacherous conditions, especially in small “rat hole” mines. These narrow pits are usually designed for a single individual and are prevalent in hilly landscapes. Miners typically bring coal up to the surface in boxes that are lifted using pulleys or may carry it in baskets along wooden slats positioned against the mine’s walls.
Accidents in such illegal mining operations are not uncommon, with many workers relying on the illicit sale of coal for their livelihoods. A tragic incident in 2019 saw at least 15 miners lose their lives after getting trapped in a similar mine in Meghalaya state.
