Meghalaya Coal Mine Explosion Kills 18; Rescue Operations Underway

At least 18 miners have been killed and one critically injured following an explosion at a coal mine in Meghalaya. The blast occurred at around 11:00 local time on Thursday inside a mine located in the East Jaintia Hills district, a forested area about 72 km from the state capital Shillong. Rescue operations are ongoing and authorities fear that more workers may still be trapped underground.

According to police, the explosion was linked to rat-hole mining, a dangerous and banned practice in which narrow tunnels are dug for coal extraction, often using explosives. Superintendent of Police Vikash Kumar said dynamite was suspected to have caused the blast.

“The accident occurred due to rat-hole mining, which involves the use of dynamite in extremely confined tunnels,” Kumar told reporters. “So far, 18 bodies have been recovered and one person with severe burn injuries has been admitted to a hospital in Shillong. We are still trying to ascertain if more workers are trapped.”

The identities of the victims have not yet been confirmed. Police said they are also investigating who owned and operated the mine. A case has been registered against unidentified persons, and further action will follow once responsibility is established.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma said strict action would be taken against those responsible. “Accountability will be fixed, and those responsible will face strict legal action,” Sangma said in a statement, warning that illegal mining would not be tolerated.

The Chief Minister announced an ex-gratia of ₹3 lakh from the state government for the next of kin of those who died. He also deputed two Cabinet Ministers to visit the site, assess the situation and monitor rescue, relief and law-and-order arrangements. Senior police officials and mining department officers are already present at the location.

Sangma added that with the introduction of scientific mining, miners now have the option to apply for legal licences. “Such incidents cannot be allowed to happen,” he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced financial assistance of ₹2 lakh to the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured.

Meanwhile, the neighbouring state of Assam also announced compensation after it emerged that several victims were from there. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said ₹5 lakh would be provided to the families of three labourers from Assam who were among those killed.

“If this is established, we will extend all possible assistance and support to the affected families from Assam,” Sarma said, adding that a Cabinet Minister and the local MLA had been asked to visit the bereaved families. He noted that the victims hailed from the Katigorah area in the Barak Valley, and that Assam’s Chief Secretary was in touch with his Meghalaya counterpart.

The incident is among the deadliest mining accidents in Meghalaya in recent years. In 2018, at least 15 miners were trapped after a rat-hole mine was flooded by water from a nearby river. While five managed to escape, only two bodies were later recovered, with the rest presumed dead.​