4 bodies of trapped workers recovered from flooded Assam coal mine
At least nine workers have been feared trapped since Monday due to flooding at the Assam Coal Quarry, located in the Umrangso area of the district
GUWAHATI: Three bodies were recovered on Saturday from the coal mine in Assam’s Dima Hasao district, where at least nine workers have been feared trapped since Monday due to flooding at the Assam Coal Quarry, located in the Umrangso area of the district.
On Saturday morning, a body was recovered by Indian Army personnel involved in the rescue operation. The state information department identified the body as that of Lijan Magar, a 27-year-old resident of Umrangso.
Later in the day, divers recovered two more bodies of a trapped miner from the Assam coal mine, the state information department confirmed. The identity of the miners is yet to be ascertained.
“Rescue efforts continue in Umrangso with unwavering resolve. Tragically, another body was recovered this morning, with the identity yet to be confirmed. Our hearts go out to the grieving as we hold onto hope and strength during this difficult time,” chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma posted on X on Saturday morning.
"Another body was recovered from the Umrangso mine a short while ago, marking the third recovery so far. The identification process is currently underway," Sarma later posted on X.
On Wednesday morning, divers from the Army’s 21 Paras had recovered the body of Ganga Bahadur Srestho, a resident of Udaypur in Nepal, from the bottom of the nearly 300-foot-deep mine. Divers reported that he had been trapped under a trolley submerged beneath approximately 100 feet of water.
“The second miner’s body was found floating in the water by army personnel involved in the rescue efforts. Dewatering of the mine continued throughout Friday night, and we hope for news about the other trapped miners soon,” said GD Tripathi, CEO of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA).
Speculation persists that the number of miners trapped in the mine could exceed the nine initially estimated. On Friday, Sarma told journalists in Guwahati that, so far, only nine families or acquaintances had reported their loved ones missing.
“So far, we have information about nine individuals who were trapped, based on reports from their families. If there are others who don’t have families, or who entered the mine alone or without informing anyone, we have no way of knowing,” Sarma explained.
On Friday, officials reported that the dewatering process using five traditional pumps had lowered the water level in the mine by nearly seven metres (around 23 feet). A heavy-duty pump from Coal India Limited, capable of extracting 2,250 litres of water per minute, was in the process of being installed and was expected to become operational by Saturday.
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Speaking to reporters on Friday, Sarma clarified that while the mine was not illegal, it had been abandoned 12 years ago after being legally operated by the Assam mines and minerals department. However, he added that the decision by the current operators to restart mining in the abandoned well was illegal.
“It was an abandoned mine, not an illegal one. The mine was legally operated by the Assam Mines and Minerals Department until 12 years ago. Monday was the first day the workers entered the well,” Sarma said.
Police have made two arrests in connection with the incident. On Friday, they detained Hanan Laskar, the ‘sardar’ (head of the mine workers), who had fled the scene after the mishap on Monday morning. Earlier, police had arrested Punish Nunisa, the leaseholder of the mine.
