At least 18 miners have died and one is critically injured following an explosion at an illegally operated coal mine in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills, police said. Rescue operations are ongoing, and some workers are still feared trapped underground.
The blast occurred around 11:00 local time (5:30 GMT) on Thursday. Superintendent of Police Vikash Kumar explained that the accident was linked to rat-hole mining, a dangerous method where workers crouch through narrow tunnels to extract coal, often using dynamite to break the rock.
Despite a blanket ban, rat-hole mining persists in the state, according to activists. Authorities suspect the explosion was caused by dynamite inside the mine, which is located in a forested area about 72 km (45 miles) from the state capital, Shillong.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced financial assistance of 200,000 rupees ($2,215) for the families of the deceased and 50,000 rupees for the injured.
Kumar confirmed that 18 bodies have been recovered and one severely burned worker has been hospitalized in Shillong. The exact number of miners still trapped remains unknown.
The police have yet to identify the mine’s owners or the victims. A case has been registered against unidentified individuals. Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma vowed that “accountability will be fixed, and those responsible will face strict legal action.”
