Nearly two weeks after 15 miners became trapped in an illegal coal mine in India, they are now feared dead as flooding has put a damper on rescue efforts.
The men first became trapped on Dec. 13 after the illegally constructed mine in the northeastern Meghalaya state was flooded from a nearby river overflowing, local officials said, according to CNN.
The men are believed to be at the bottom of the shaft, nearly 320 feet deep. Officials say it is filled with at least 70 feet of water, while rescue divers on the scene can only dive a maximum of 40 feet underwater, according to the New York Times.
Heavy rain on Dec. 20 caused the river to overflow again and reflood the mine, creating a bleak outlook for the rescue effort given the miners have had no food or water for two weeks.
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The illegal mines, known as “rat holes” because of their narrow tunnels, are common in the state and avoid local laws and regulations. The mine’s construction has also made rescue operations more difficult because the site does not have a map, which is usually required of mines, CNN reported.
Rescue workers have given up trying to pump water out of the mine, the Times says.
Some have criticized the Indian government for not providing high-pressure pumps for the rescue and for the prime minister visiting the neighbouring state, Assam, rather than the site of the trapped miners.
Meghalaya has one of the largest coal deposits in the country, making illegal mining common there. Miners can make almost $12 a day, more than many other professions in India.
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