16 Dead in Meghalaya Illegal Mine Explosion

At least 16 workers died and several others remained trapped following an explosion at an unauthorized rathole coal mine in India's northeastern state of Meghalaya on Thursday, authorities reported. The blast occurred around 10 a.m. local time in the remote Thangsku area of East Jaintia Hills district, highlighting persistent safety risks in the region's illegal mining operations.

Police and rescue teams recovered the bodies of 16 laborers from the narrow tunnels of the mine, where workers typically crawl to extract coal. One survivor suffered burn injuries and was airlifted to Shillong, the state capital, for advanced medical care, according to East Jaintia Hills Superintendent of Police Vikas Kumar. "Several laborers are trapped inside the coal mine following the explosion," Kumar said. "SDRF, police, and local administration are engaged in search and rescue operations." He noted that smoke and fire inside the mine complicated efforts to determine the exact number of people still unaccounted for, with workers including both locals and those from other regions.

Rescue operations faced significant challenges due to the site's isolation, about 40 kilometers from the district...