Rescue operations are underway at coal mine collapse site.
The number of deaths in the Jharkand mine collapse today rose to 17 even as rescue operations were underway at the site. Officials are using all means to rescue miners from the cave-in at Lalmatia open cast coal mine of Eastern Coalfields Ltd (ECL). RR Mishra, officiating CMD of ECL, a Coal India subsidiary today said, "One more body has been recovered. Despite dense fog in the area, rescue operation is underway." Sniffer dogs have also been pressed into service, he said.
RR Mishra had on Saturday said, "We are carrying on the rescue operation in a systematic manner so that the situation does not aggravate as the debris is too much and it should not fall."
Danger zones have been declared around the place of incidents to restrict the entry of people there. Moreover, police and CISF officials have been stationed to restrict entry of people in the danger zone, he had said.
Central Mine Planning and Design Institute (CMPDIL), the consultancy arm of Coal India Ltd, has deployed magneto meters along with imaging system for locating magnetic and conductive material up to a depth of 80 meters, the statement said.
The incident occurred at around 7.30 pm on December 29 when a massive mound of earth came crashing down on excavators at Lalmatia open cast coal mine of Eastern Coalfields Ltd (ECL), the worst such disaster in over a decade.
The rescue operations was launched immediately after the incident.
Senior officials of Director General of Mines Safety (DGMS) had arrived at the site and launched an inquiry into the incident. Around
13 excavators and dump trucks swamped under the debris have been recovered.