Defense PRO, GuwahatiRescuers in India are racing against time to free miners trapped in a flooded coal mine in the northeastern state of Assam.
Three of the nine men inside were feared dead, Reuters reported, after the state government said rescue teams had spotted some bodies they had not been able to reach.
The men were trapped on Monday morning after water flooded the rat mine, which is a narrow hole dug by hand to extract coal.
Despite a ban on such mining in India since 2014, small illegal mines continue to operate in Assam and other northeastern states.
The Indian Army, which is involved in the rescue operations, said in a statement that its personnel reached the site in the morning and were assisting the local administration.
“Senior Indian Army officials will also arrive at the site to coordinate with the civil administration,” the statement said.
The special army assistance group includes “drivers, sappers, medical personnel and necessary equipment,” it added.
On Monday night, Assam Director General of Police GP Singh said authorities were ascertaining the exact number of people trapped.
Reports say more than a dozen miners have managed to escape and initial reports suggest “the numbers will be in the single digits”.
Defense PRO, GuwahatiThe mine is located in the hilly area of Dima Hasao District.
Senior district police officer Mayank Kumar Jha told Reuters the area was very “remote” and “difficult to reach”.
Mine-related disasters are not uncommon in northeastern India.
In December 2018 at least 15 men were trapped in an illegal mine in the neighboring state of Meghalaya after water from a nearby river flooded it.
Five miners managed to escape, but rescue operations for the rest continued until the first week of March next 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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