HIBAPRESS
At least 18 people were killed today, Thursday, as a result of an explosion that occurred in an illegal coal mine in the state of Meghalaya in northeastern India, according to local police.
The head of the local government in Meghalaya, Conrad Sangma, announced an in-depth investigation into the incident to determine responsibilities. Rescue elements searched the mine located in the East Jaintia Hills region in search of other workers who may be trapped inside. Illegal mines are often sites dug vertically into the ground, especially on the edges of hills that branch into narrow tunnels to reach coal and minerals for extraction. A federal court banned the exploitation of this type of mine in Meghalaya in 2014, after local communities complained that they pollute water sources and pose a danger to humans, but these activities are still widespread in the state of Meghalaya.
