Guwahati: Efforts to rescue five miners trapped in a flooded coal mine in Assam’s Dima Hasao district are being hindered by the suspected inflow of water from underground streams, which is slowing down the dewatering process, officials reported on Thursday.
Despite the continuous operation of several pumps, the water level is receding at a slow rate, delaying the progress of rescue operations.
“Water is being pumped out consistently, but the process has been slow, likely due to fresh water seeping in from an underground source,” the officials stated.
Personnel from the NDRF, SDRF, and the army are actively involved in the rescue mission, while navy divers have been withdrawn.
The coal mine in the Umrangso area was flooded on January 6 after water surged in unexpectedly, trapping nine workers.
Four bodies have been recovered during the ongoing rescue operations.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma provided an update on Wednesday, stating that 18 machines are currently being used to pump out the water.
“Around one foot of water is being removed daily, but we suspect that underground streams are replenishing the water supply, as the water level is decreasing more slowly and the water, initially black, is now becoming clearer,” Sarma said.
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Officials revealed that dewatering equipment provided by ONGC and Coal India is being used in the process, with the water level—initially at 100 feet—slowly reducing.
However, despite ongoing efforts, the prospects for the remaining trapped miners appear increasingly bleak.
The chief minister had earlier mentioned that the mine had been abandoned 12 years ago and was managed by the Assam Mineral Development Corporation until three years ago.
