Rescue ops for trapped Meghalaya miners enters 13th day

Shillong, Dec 26: NDRF operation to rescue 15 miners trapped in a 370 feet illegal coal mine in Meghalaya's Lumthari village has been temporarily halted due to lack of submersible water pumps.

National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has sought for submersible water pumps but government yet to get it. Family members of trapped miners are losing hope as rescue operation has entered the 13th day.

Seven of the 15 trapped victims hail from two villages in Aman's constituency in West Garo Hills district.

Nearly 100 personnel of the NDRF along with the police, are waiting for the water to recede about 30 feet as divers can do their job once the water level subsides up to that level.

NDRF Assistant Commandant S.K. Singh told PTI that the current water level in the mine shaft is about 70 feet. About 100 personnel of the NDRF are waiting for the water to recede to 30 feet for divers to do their job.

9 Pm tonight: 12 days after miners trapped in Meghalaya, rescue attempts abandoned for now because pumps are ineffective, need more powerful pumps to get water out of mines! Would this happen in any other part of country or do some lives matter less than others?

— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) December 25, 2018

(With PTI inputs)