Meghalaya coal mine blast: Seven more bodies found, death toll mounts to 25

The death toll in the explosion in an illegal coal mine in Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills mounted to 25 on Friday following the recovery of seven more bodies, Director General of Police I Nongrang said. The explosion occurred on Thursday at the mine in the Thangsku area of Umsngat village, prompting the authorities to begin large-scale search and rescue operations involving multiple agencies. Eighteen bodies had been found on Thursday. "So far, seven additional bodies have been recovered today, taking the total number of deaths to 25. Out of these, 12 bodies have been identified," Nongrang told PTI. Search operations are continuing at the site as teams of the State Disaster Response Force, Special Rescue Team and the National Disaster Response Force were pressed into service. Medical teams and ambulances have also been deployed, officials said. "The search operation is still underway, and all efforts are being made to find out any remaining victims and complete the identification process at the earliest," the DGP said. Officials said that the Army and the Air Force remain on standby as the district administration and the State Disaster Management Authority continue to monitor the situation closely.