Umrangso Mine Tragedy: 3 More Bodies Recovered Today, 5 Still Missing

The grim search for miners trapped in a waterlogged coal mine in Umrangso, Assam, has entered its sixth day with a fourth body recovered on January 11. Despite tireless efforts from the rescue teams, five miners are still unaccounted for.

The latest recovery, which brings the death toll to four, follows three previous recoveries as team’s battle against treacherous conditions. The operation has seen more than 160 hours of continuous effort from the Indian Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and other emergency responders.

On January 8, the first body was retrieved: Ganga Bahadur Shrestha (38), from Rampur, Udrajpur, Nepal. This discovery set off a wave of intensified search operations, which led to further recoveries on January 11. In the early hours of the day, at 7:36 AM, the body of Lijen Magar (27) from Kalamati, Umrangso, was found.

A second recovery was made shortly after, at 10:20 AM, identifying Khusi Mohan Rai (57) from Magergaon, Kokrajhar. Later in the day, at 12:36 PM, the body of Sarat Goyary (37), from Thailapara, Sonitpur, was recovered. These bodies add to the mounting toll, underscoring the severity of the disaster.

The rescue teams, composed of Army divers from the 21 Para Special Forces, NDRF, and other specialized personnel, have been navigating through the depths of the illegal rat-hole mine in Tin Kilo, Umrangso. Using an underwater Remote Operating Vehicle (ROV), they continue their search for the remaining miners. As of 4:30 PM, the water level in the mine remains at 12 meters, severely hampering the search effort.

In addition to the search teams, five high-capacity water pumps are in operation throughout the day to dewater the mine, allowing the teams to explore further and recover the remaining miners.