Five miners dead after being trapped in Muzaffarabad coal mine

MUZAFFARABAD: Five of the miners trapped in a coal mine near Muzaffarabad were found dead after rescuers finally managed to dig through the rubble on Monday.

Two other miners were rescued in injured condition. The bodies of the deceased miners were recovered around 12 hours after the collapse of mine stopes.

The deceased and injured miners belonged to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The injured miners were under treatment at Combined Military Hospital when the report was filed.

According to Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the remote area where the mine is located lies near a fault line formed after the 2005 earthquake. 

In the aftermath of the deadly earthquake, JICA had suggested that no construction be done in the area. However, besides the mine that partially caved in, there are others mines as well where work continues despite the danger. The mines are situated at a distance from each other but fall on the same fault line.

People who reside in the nearby area have also expressed reservations as the water springs in the area have also been polluted by the mines. Water from these springs is used by locals for their routine work.