Meghalaya mine explosion death toll rises to 16, several feared trapped

At least 16 bodies have been recovered so far as rescue operations continue following a powerful explosion at a suspected illegal coal mine in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills district on Thursday morning (February 5). Authorities fear the death toll may rise, with several workers believed to be trapped underground.

The blast occurred in the Thangsku area, triggering panic in the locality and prompting an emergency response from district authorities. East Jaintia Hills Superintendent of Police Vikash Kumar said the exact number of workers inside the mine at the time of the explosion is yet to be ascertained.

One injured worker was initially rushed to a nearby Primary Health Centre and later referred to Shillong for specialised treatment due to the severity of his injuries.

Search and rescue operations are expected to intensify once teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) reach the site. However, officials confirmed that the SDRF team had not arrived at the location at the time of filing this report, causing concern over delays in rescue efforts.

Preliminary inputs suggest that the explosion occurred during active coal extraction at what is suspected to be an illegally operating mine. When asked about the legality of the mining site, SP Kumar said, “Yes, it seems like that.” The exact cause of the explosion remains unclear, and police have stated that a detailed investigation will be conducted.

The incident has once again brought the spotlight on the hazards of rat-hole coal mining, a practice banned by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in 2014 due to its severe environmental impact and high risk to human life. The ban, later upheld by the Supreme Court, permits only regulated and scientific mining under strict safety norms.

Rat-hole mining involves digging narrow tunnels barely three to four feet high, forcing workers to crawl deep into unstable and poorly ventilated passages to extract coal. Despite the ban, illegal mining continues in parts of Meghalaya, frequently endangering the lives of labourers.

Among the deceased, Neeman Uddin (25), a resident of Sharisha Kuri in Katigorah, has been identified. In a particularly tragic development, two sons from the same family—Anwara Hussain and Dildar Hussain—have also lost their lives in the incident.

Authorities said further details will emerge as rescue operations progress and investigations continue.