Desperate Rescue Efforts Underway as Miners Remain Trapped in Assam's Flooded Mine

Emergency responders in Assam face a race against time as they work to rescue nine miners trapped in a flooded rat-hole coal mine, amidst fears of fatalities.

Rescue operations are intensifying in Assam, India, where a group of nine miners remains trapped after a massive flood inundated a rat-hole coal mine. The incident occurred early on Monday, with reports indicating that bodies have been sighted but remain inaccessible. As teams combat rising water levels, there are concerns for the lives of three men who are presumed dead.

The ongoing rescue mission has seen the deployment of divers, helicopters, and specialized engineering teams, supported by the state and national disaster response forces. The location of the mine, in the hilly regions of Dima Hasao district, poses significant challenges, being described as "remote" and "difficult to reach" by local police officials. On Monday evening, Assam's Director General of Police GP Singh reported that the assessment of the miners' exact location was ongoing, while early reports indicated that some miners had escaped the flooding, reducing the number of trapped individuals.

Illegal mining operations, despite being banned in India since 2014, continue to persist in Assam and similarly affected northeastern states. This has led to repeated incidents of mine-related disasters, including a tragic event in December 2018 where 15 miners were trapped in Meghalaya, resulting in only two recoveries. Most recently, in January 2024, a fire claimed the lives of six workers in a rat-hole mine in Nagaland.

As rescue efforts continue, the community watches closely, hoping for the safe return of the trapped miners.