In Assam’s remote Dima district, three miners are feared dead after a coal mine was flooded, trapping a total of nine men. Authorities have confirmed that three bodies have been spotted, though they have not yet been retrieved by rescue teams.

The miners have been trapped since Monday, when the mine flooded due to an internal water source. District police chief Mayank Kumar explained that the miners likely struck an underground water channel, causing the flood.

In response, the Indian Army has dispatched specialized teams, including divers, helicopters, and engineers, to assist in the rescue operation. Various national and state disaster relief teams are also involved in the effort.

Rescue efforts have been challenging, with photographs from the scene showing workers using ropes, cranes, and other equipment at the vertical mine site.

Incidents like this are not rare in northeastern India, where coal mining accidents frequently occur. In 2019, a major disaster in Meghalaya claimed the lives of at least 15 miners when an illegal mine flooded following water from a nearby river.