Meghalaya Illegal Coal Mine Blast Kills At Least 18

A powerful explosion at an allegedly illegal coal mine in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills district has killed at least 18 miners, triggering large-scale search and rescue operations. Several others are feared trapped as teams battle hazardous conditions inside the narrow mine shafts.

Updated on: 6 February 2026 3:08 pm

Illegal “Rat-Hole” Coal Mine Blast in Meghalaya

Search and rescue operation underway after at least 18 miners were killed and several others were feared trapped following an explosion in an illegal coal mining site, in East Jaintia Hills district, Meghalaya. | Photo: PTI

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At least 18 miners were killed in a blast, and several others feared trapped in an illegal coal mining site in Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills district. Heaps of freshly mined coal lying near a coke factory in Dkhiah, few kilometres away from the coal mine. | Photo: PTI file photo

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Illegal coal mine explosion East Jaintia Hills

At least 18 miners were killed in a blast, and several others feared trapped in an illegal coal mining site in Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills district. | Photo: PTI file photo

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Meghalaya mine blast: Rescue op underway

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Family members wail amid a search and rescue operation after at least 18 miners were killed and several others were feared trapped following an explosion in an illegal coal mining site, in East Jaintia Hills district, Meghalaya. | Photo: PTI

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