Reuters reported that 8 miners trapped in a coal mine in Meghalaya since last Friday have been found dead. Search operations were continuing inside the pit for more trapped or dead miners, although authorities did not know how many, if any might still be underground.

The Rangsawe pit in the South Garo Hills district, filled with water after a technical failure allowed water from underground streams to seep in.

Mr BL Buam a senior police officer said "The miners trapped inside the mine must have died due to suffocation. There was a lack of oxygen supply and there was some toxic gas among the coal formations." Coal mine accidents are common in the mountainous state because safety standards at privately run mines are often lax. At least 20 miners were killed in similar accidents last year.

(Sourced from Reuters)