Urgent Rescue Operations Underway as Miners Remain Trapped in Assam's Flooded Rat-Hole Mine

In Assam, India, rescue operations are in full swing as officials battle to save nine miners trapped in a flooded rat-hole mine. While three bodies have been reportedly sighted, the rescue remains complicated by the mine's illegal and remote conditions.

Rescue teams in northeastern India are engaged in a desperate race against time to save nine miners trapped inside a flooded rat-hole coal mine in Assam. Reports from Reuters indicate that three of the miners are feared dead after recovery teams identified some bodies they have yet been unable to reach. The incident occurred early on Monday morning when heavy water influx inundated the illegal mine, a method of coal extraction notorious for its hazards.

Despite the ban on rat-hole mining since 2014, illegal mining operations persist in Assam and other northeastern states, creating dangerous conditions. Rescue efforts have mobilized divers, helicopters, and engineers, backed by state and national disaster response forces. GP Singh, the Director General of Police for Assam, reported on Monday evening that they were working to confirm how many individuals remain trapped, while some reports indicated that at least a dozen miners had successfully escaped.

The mine, situated in a hilly and remote area of the Dima Hasao district, presents logistical challenges for rescuers. Senior police official Mayank Kumar Jha described the terrain as "remote" and "difficult to reach," complicating their efforts. Such mine-related catastrophes are tragically not uncommon in India's northeastern region. A similar incident occurred in December 2018 in Meghalaya, leaving several miners trapped for months. More recently, a fire in Nagaland claimed six lives in January 2024, highlighting the ongoing dangers faced by miners in these illegal operations.