At least 27 miners were killed after an explosion tore through an unauthorised coal mine in India's northeastern state of Meghalaya. The blast occurred at around 10am local time on Thursday in a 'rat-hole' mine in the East Jaintia Hills district, according to the district's deputy commissioner, Manish Kumar. Several others remain missing.
Rescue operations have been suspended due to a lack of equipment, and the remote location has hampered efforts, with state and federal rescue workers expected to take several hours of off-road driving to reach the site. Police suspect the explosion was caused by dynamite.
Meghalaya's chief minister, Conrad Sangma, ordered a comprehensive inquiry, stating that accountability will be fixed and strict legal action taken. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced financial assistance of Rs200,000 (£1,636) for the families of the deceased and Rs50,000 (£405) for the injured.
Most of the victims are believed to be from the neighbouring state of Assam, whose chief minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, pledged support to affected families. The 'rat-hole' mining technique involves narrow, hand-dug tunnels, and was banned in 2014 due to fatalities and environmental damage.
Since 2012, 63 people have died in illegal rat-hole mining in Assam and Meghalaya. In 2018, at least 15 miners were killed after being trapped in a similar mine in Meghalaya.
