Amidst challenging weather NDRF recovers body of miner in Umrangso Coal tragedy

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJanuary 8, 2025

The body of a miner, Ganga Bahadur Shreth (38), son of the late Man Harbhajan Shreth, was recovered on Wednesday at 8:45 AM from the coal mining site at 3 Kilo in Umrangso in Assam’s Dima Hasao district.

Shreth, a resident of Rampur (Dummana-2 Bhijpur) under Thoksila police station in Udayapur district of Nepal, was among the miners trapped in the flooded coal quarry.

The recovery was made as rescue operations resumed despite challenging weather and hazardous conditions. NDRF spokesperson Amod Kumar confirmed that the body was handed over to the police after retrieval from the bottom of the flooded site.

An official from the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said, “The Army and the 1st Battalion of the NDRF began joint rescue operations at 6:45 AM. The Navy team also joined, utilizing sonar equipment for the search. Deep diving operations were conducted by the NDRF team.”

To address the high-water levels inside the mine, which have reached nearly 100 feet, a Heavy Duty Motor Pump was deployed from ONGC Silchar. Local dewatering pumps are also being used. The official added, “Dewatering efforts are ongoing. However, rescue operations have been paused until sunrise. A heavy suction pump is being arranged to expedite water removal.”

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Local reports indicate that 27 miners were initially trapped in the flooded mine when the incident occurred. Ten managed to escape, but 13 to 17 miners remain unaccounted for. The trapped miners, aged 26 to 57, include individuals from Assam, West Bengal, and Nepal.

Identified among the trapped miners are – Hussain Ali (30), Assam; Jakir Hussain (38), Assam; Sarpa Barman (46), Assam; Mustafa Sheikh (44), Assam; Khusi Mohan Rai (57), Assam; Sanjit Sarkar (35), West Bengal; Lijan Magar (26), Assam and Sarat Goyary (37), Assam

Rescue teams face severe obstacles, including adverse weather and extremely high-water levels inside the mine. Despite these challenges, efforts continue, with multiple agencies working together to locate and rescue the trapped miners.

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Families of the miners anxiously await updates, as authorities work tirelessly to bring the situation under control and ensure the safety of those still trapped.