Wed Jan 15 17:15:36 UTC 2025: ## Assam Coal Mine Rescue Operation Ends in Tragedy: Four Miners Dead
**GUWAHATI, Assam, January 15, 2025** – The nine-day rescue operation for five miners trapped in a flooded rat-hole coal mine in Assam’s Dima Hasao district has concluded with the recovery of four bodies. The operation, hampered by persistently high water levels, involved personnel from the Indian Navy, Army, and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). While four bodies were recovered between January 8th and 10th, the search for the fifth miner has been called off.
The mine, located near the industrial town of Umrangso, is believed to have been flooded after miners tapped into a water source connected to the Kopili River. Despite efforts to dewater the mine and three abandoned nearby mines using ten pumps, the water level has only been reduced to approximately 12 meters from an initial 30 meters. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that the water level reduction has been minimal, suggesting a continuous inflow. The Geological Survey of India has been tasked with investigating the connection between the mine and the river. The Navy team, brought in from Visakhapatnam, withdrew from the site on January 13th. The incident highlights the dangers of illegal rat-hole mining in the region.
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