Meghalaya Coal Mine Tragedy: Death Toll Rises to 25 as Rescue Efforts Continue in East Jaintia Hills (Watch Video)
The death toll from a massive explosion at an illegal rat-hole coal mine in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills has risen to 25, officials confirmed Friday. The blast occurred on February 5 in the remote Thangskai area, triggered by high-intensity dynamite used for unauthorized extraction.
Shillong, February 7: The death toll from a massive explosion at an illegal rat-hole coal mine in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills has risen to 25, officials confirmed Friday. The blast occurred on February 5 in the remote Thangskai area, triggered by high-intensity dynamite used for unauthorized extraction. Rescue teams from the NDRF and SDRF recovered seven additional bodies today, including several found deep within narrow horizontal tunnels. At least nine survivors are currently receiving treatment at hospitals in Shillong and Assam, with many in critical condition. Police have arrested two individuals, identified as the mine's owners, and filed a suo motu FIR. While Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has ordered a comprehensive inquiry, the tragedy once again highlights the persistent defiance of the 2014 National Green Tribunal ban on rat-hole mining in the region.
Meghalaya Coal Mine Tragedy
#WATCH | Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills coal mine incident | Rescue operations underway at the blast site to rescue the trapped mine workers.
25 people died in the blast that took place in an illegal rat-hole coal mine on 5th February. pic.twitter.com/zR8qzMKLP2
— ANI (@ANI) February 7, 2026
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(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 07, 2026 01:43 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
