High-pressure pumps deployed to drain out water from mine to rescue miners

Even as more than a fortnight has passed since 15 miners get trapped inside an illegal coal mine in East Jaintia Hills, rescuers are struggling hard to pump out water from the inundated mine.

"The Fire Service personnel of Odisha are trying their best to run the machine and insert the pumps inside so that they can pump the water out and to check the water level in the main shaft," said R Susngi, District Public Relation Officer (PRO), East Jaintia Hills.

He said that among those who are trapped in the mine, five are from Assam, seven from Garo Hills in Meghalaya, while three are from East Jaintia Hills district.

On Sunday the divers of Indian Navy who went inside the inundated mine in search of the 15 trapped miners returned disappointed after diving up to 70 feet deep.

Along with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), 20-member team of Odisha Fire Service is engaged in rescue operations.

They are carrying all equipment and pumps along with them so they can take out water from the inundated mine.

The Odisha Fire Service team is equipped with 15 high-pressure pumps to drain out water from the mine in which the miners are trapped.

As many as 15 miners have been trapped in a 370-feet deep illegal mine in Lumthari village since December 13, when the water from the nearby river Lytein flooded the mine.