India rescuers race to save men stuck in flooded 'rat-hole' mine

In the northeastern Indian state of Assam, rescuers are racing against time to save miners trapped in a flooded coal mine. According to Reuters, the state government has stated that rescue teams have located some bodies but are unable to reach them, suggesting that three of the nine trapped miners may have already perished.

The miners were trapped on Monday morning when water flooded the so-called "rat-hole" mine, which involves mining coal through narrow tunnels dug manually. Although India has banned such mining activities since 2014, small-scale illegal mines continue to operate in Assam and other northeastern states.

The Indian Army, which is involved in the rescue operation, stated in a release that its personnel arrived at the scene in the morning and are assisting the local government. "Senior Indian Army officials will also be arriving at the scene to coordinate with the civil administration," the statement read. The army's rescue contingent includes "divers, engineers, medical personnel and the necessary equipment."

On Monday night, Assam Police chief GP Singh stated that authorities are determining the exact number of people trapped. Reports indicate that over a dozen miners managed to escape, with initial reports suggesting "the number would be in single digits." The mine is located in the mountainous Dima Hasao district. A senior police officer in the area, Mayank Kumar Jha, told Reuters that the area is 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 neighboring Meghalaya after water from a nearby river flooded the mine. Five miners managed to escape, but rescue efforts for the others continued into the first week of March the following year. Ultimately, only two bodies were recovered. In January 2024, six workers died after a fire broke out in a rat-hole coal mine in Nagaland.