Eight killed in Philippines due to super typhoon Man-yi
At least eight people have died as super typhoon Man-yi hit the Philippines over the weekend, triggering flooding and landslides along its path, provincial officials said on Monday.
The death toll in the Umrangso coal mine disaster has risen to five after search and rescue teams recovered another body from the flooded mine in the 3 Kilo area of Assam’s Dima Hasao district on Wednesday.
Assam’s Minister of Mines & Minerals, Kaushik Rai, confirmed the development, stating, “One more body has been recovered by the rescue teams today. The identification process is currently underway.”
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The latest recovery comes as rescue efforts continue to locate four miners who remain trapped underground.
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Earlier, teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Indian Army had retrieved four bodies since the start of rescue operations.
The mine, located in the Kalamati area of Umrangso, was flooded on January 6 after a sudden gush of water trapped nine miners inside. It is suspected that an abandoned mine shaft connected to an underground water source may have collapsed, leading to the flooding. The miners, allegedly working in illegal coal extraction, were caught off guard with no means of escape.
Since the flooding, rescue teams have been battling treacherous conditions to retrieve the trapped workers. Limited accessibility, unstable mine structures, and waterlogging have severely hampered operations.
On January 18, Minister Kaushik Rai distributed ex-gratia cheques to the families of both the deceased and those still trapped inside.
The Assam government announced a relief package of Rs 10 lakh for the families of all nine miners. Of this, Rs 6 lakh has been disbursed from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, while the remaining Rs 4 lakh will be provided by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority.
Families of the five miners who remain unaccounted for have so far received Rs 6 lakh each, with the balance to be released once the final status of the rescue mission is confirmed.
This tragedy has reignited concerns over illegal coal mining in Assam’s hill districts. Despite crackdowns, reports indicate that clandestine mining operations continue, driven by demand from local industries and neighboring states.
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