Three miners feared dead as flood hits Assam Coal Mine

Reuters

Three Miners Feared Dead in Flooded Assam Coal Mine

Three miners are feared dead and six others remain trapped following flooding in a coal mine in Assam's Dima Hasao district, authorities reported on Tuesday. The mine, believed to be operating illegally, is under state jurisdiction. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma confirmed the arrest of one person in connection with the incident.

Rescuers have spotted three bodies but have not yet recovered them. Heavy flooding, likely caused by miners striking an underground water channel, filled nearly 100 feet of the 150-foot shaft. "Teams have managed to descend about 30 to 35 feet so far," said Kaushik Rai, a local minister at the site.

Army teams, equipped with divers, helicopters, and cranes, have joined the rescue effort. Footage shared by ANI showed divers being lowered into the shaft, while photographs depicted rescue workers using ropes and other equipment.

Coal mine accidents are not uncommon in northeastern India. In 2019, 15 miners lost their lives in Meghalaya when water from a nearby river flooded an illegal mine.

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