In Assam, specialised Indian Navy divers continue their rescue efforts with advanced technology to evacuate at least eight workers trapped at the coal mine in Umrangso in Dima Hasao. Yesterday, the divers retrieved the body of a trapped coal miner from the flooded mine. On Monday, water entered the illegal rat-hole coal mine with the water level reaching up to 100 feet.
Meanwhile, pump machines are being used to extract water from the mine along with drone mapping of the nearest water bodies are conducted to better understand the scenario inside the coal mine.
A senior official said, “Four Navy divers returned to the ground. Pumping machine to start again for dewatering. Drone mapping of adjacent water bodies and queries going on.”
High suction pumps to dewater the mine were also brought by the administration from different places in the state. “High suction pumps are brought by helicopter to augment pumping,” the official added.
Harmeet Singh, Special DGP of Assam Police looking after the rescue operation, earlier said, “The de-watering of the tunnel was done; however, there are channels which are pouring water back to the tunnel. We have been bringing small pumps to extract water from the tunnel and meanwhile, the navy divers are looking into the tunnels for the rescue effort. However, as of now, they could not spot anything.”