India: Rescuers in Assam, a state in northeastern India, are working tirelessly to save nine miners tangled in a flooded illegal “rat-hole” coal mine. Authorities fear that three of the miners have already died, as rescue teams have discovered bodies they are unable to reach due to the dangerous conditions.
The miners became trapped when rising water flooded the narrow, manually dug mine. Despite a ban on such mining since 2014, illegal coal mining remains uncontrolled in Assam and other northeastern states.
The Indian Army has joined the search and rescue operation, deploying personnel, divers, medical staff, and specialised equipment to the site. Senior army officials are predicted to arrive soon to coordinate with local authorities and provide further assistance.
Authorities have reported that several miners have managed to escape, with initial estimates indicating the number of those trapped could be in the single digits. The mine is located in the remote and hilly Dima Hasao district, posing significant challenges for rescue teams.
Mine-related disasters are tragically common in India’s northeastern region. In December 2018, 15 miners were trapped in a similar illegal mine in neighbouring Meghalaya after it flooded.
While five miners escaped, only two bodies were recovered after months of search efforts. In another recent incident, a fire broke out in a rat-hole mine in Nagaland in January 2024, killing six workers.
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