A desperate rescue operation is underway in northeastern India, where at least nine coal miners are trapped hundreds of feet underground after a mine flooded in Assam state. The miners became ensnared on Monday morning in the Umrangso area of Dima Hasao district, approximately 200 kilometers (125 miles) south of Guwahati, the state capital.
According to Kaushik Rai, a local government minister overseeing the rescue efforts, the workers are believed to be trapped 300 feet below the surface after water surged in from an adjacent abandoned mine. "We are mobilizing all available resources for their rescue," he stated.
The Indian Army and a national disaster management team are on-site, utilizing ropes, cranes, and divers in the ongoing operation. Divers have managed to descend approximately 35-40 feet into the flooded mine, but the water level is estimated to be around 100 feet deep. Rescuers have recovered helmets, slippers, and other personal items, offering a grim reminder of the miners' plight.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma posted on X (formerly Twitter) that the mine appears to be operating illegally. Police have made one arrest in connection with the incident and are actively investigating. Workers at the site reported that over a dozen miners were initially trapped in the mine, which reportedly lacks adequate safety measures. Some individuals managed to escape as the water began to rise.
The incident highlights the dangerous conditions prevalent in India's eastern and northeastern "rat hole" mines. These narrow, often single-person pits are common in hilly regions and pose significant risks to workers. Coal is typically extracted using rudimentary methods, such as boxes hoisted with pulleys or baskets carried up wooden slats. Accidents are common in these unregulated mines, and the miners often rely on the illicit sale of coal for their livelihood. This tragedy follows a similar incident in 2019 where 15 miners perished in a Meghalaya state rat hole mine.
