Efforts to rescue eight workers trapped inside a quarry in Assam’s Dima Hasao district continued into the fourth day on Friday, as search operations face significant challenges. Thus far, only the body of the ninth worker has been retrieved. The operation involves multiple central and state agencies, alongside the Army, Navy, and Air Force, yet the eight other workers trapped in the ‘rat-hole’ mine remain unlocated.
The crisis began when a sudden influx of water inundated the 3 Kilo Coal Quarry in Umrangso, mixing with coal and turning the water acidic and murky. This toxic environment has posed severe obstacles for Navy rescue teams, including divers skilled in deep-depth diving and recovery operations. The murky water complicates visibility and manoeuvrability, making it difficult for even remote-operated vehicles to be effective.
According to experts, divers risked their lives to retrieve the body of the ninth worker on Wednesday, underscoring the dangerous conditions on site. To expedite the rescue, Western Coalfields Limited dispatched a specialist team equipped with a submersible pump capable of extracting up to 500 gallons of water per minute, hoping to reduce water levels and facilitate access.
A major impediment to the rescue is the quarry’s structure, consisting of a main shaft leading to four smaller tunnels that form a complex network. The absence of a detailed blueprint of the mine and channels continuously feeding water back into the tunnels add to the difficulties, as noted by Harmeet Singh, Special Director General of Police.
The situation remains critical as coordinated efforts by the Indian Armed Forces and state resources continue, aiming to locate and rescue the remaining workers under increasingly challenging conditions.
Original Source: https://news.abplive.com/cities/assam-coal-mine-with-8-lives-at-stake-heres-whats-hampering-rescue-ops-acidic-water-1743012
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Publish Date: 2025-01-10 06:59:00
