Rescue Operations Underway for Trapped Miners in Assam

Eighteen laborers are trapped in a flooded coal mine in Umrangso, Assam, with water levels rising to 100 feet in a 300-foot-deep illegal mine utilizing dangerous 'rat hole' mining techniques. Rescue operations have been ongoing for over 12 hours, hindered by the flooding, with local police deploying motor pumps to drain the water. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has requested assistance from the Army and has confirmed that both the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are en route to the site. The incident recalls a similar tragedy in Meghalaya in 2018, where several miners died after becoming trapped in a flooded mine. The remote location of the mine, approximately 150 kilometers from the district headquarters, has complicated rescue efforts, and senior officials have yet to arrive on site. The incident raises urgent concerns about the safety regulations surrounding illegal mining operations in the region.