Three miners are feared dead after a flooded coal mine trapped 12 workers in Assam, a northeastern Indian state. Rescue teams have found three bodies, but the recovery process is ongoing, local authorities reported on Tuesday.
The incident occurred on Monday when miners struck an underground water channel, flooding the mine instantly. Mayank Kumar, Dima Hasao’s district police chief, explained that the water burst from an internal source, likely a hidden channel that was accidentally triggered during the mining process.
The workers are believed to be trapped about 300 feet below ground, and the operation to rescue them is still in progress. The Indian military has deployed divers, cranes, helicopters, and engineers to assist with the recovery efforts. Assam’s Mines Minister, Kaushik Rai, confirmed that the flooding originated from an unused mine nearby and assured that all resources are being mobilized for the rescue mission.
Mining conditions in this region, especially in Assam and Meghalaya, are notorious for being hazardous. Many operations, often illegal “rat hole” mines, operate without proper safety protocols, making such accidents all too common. A similar flood disaster in Meghalaya in 2019 led to the deaths of at least 15 miners. The repeated tragedies underscore the unsafe and unregulated nature of mining in these remote areas, posing constant risks to the lives of miners.
NEWS DESK
PRESS UPDATE