A body has been recovered from the coal mine in the 3 Kilo area of Umrangso, where nine people became trapped on January 6, the NDRF confirmed on Wednesday. Search and rescue efforts are ongoing as teams work tirelessly to locate the remaining individuals. Authorities are coordinating the operation, with specialized personnel deployed to navigate the challenging conditions within the mine.
HPS Kandari, commandant of NDRF’s 1st Battalion told news agency ANI that efforts were made throughout the day yesterday but were unsuccessful. A joint team of divers resumed operations today and managed to recover one body. He said that diving in such conditions is highly challenging and requires expertise, as the internal environment of the mine is unpredictable.
A team of Indian Navy, including deep-sea divers, arrived at the site on Tuesday where the coal mine pit is flooded with water up to a depth of 200 feet. The incident occurred on Monday morning when nine workers, aged 26 to 57, got trapped in a coal mine in 3 Kilo, Umrangso, in Assam’s hilly Dima Hasao district.
The region is known for extensive coal, limestone, and granite quarrying, with the coal reserves in Umrangso leased to the state-run Assam Mining Development Corporation. However, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that the mine appears to be operating illegally.
Due to the remote location, rescue efforts were slow on Monday, but teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and the Army reached the site on Tuesday morning. An NDRF official explained that the miners had been working in rat-hole tunnels connecting to the central pit, which flooded, potentially trapping them in one of the tunnels.
Families of the trapped workers are anxiously awaiting updates as the rescue mission continues. The incident highlights the inherent risks in mining operations, and officials are urging for increased safety measures to prevent such tragedies in the future.