At Least 8 Killed, More Than 23 Still Trapped After A Mine Collapsed In Jharkhand

Godda, Jharkhand:  At least eight workers have been killed and many others remain trapped in the eastern state of Jharkhand, hours after a mine collapsed late on Thursday.

The massive mound of earth collapsed at around 7.30 pm as worker headed towards the exit gate.23 people are missing, said senior police official RK Mallik to NDTV. Seven bodies have been recovered so far.

Dozens of vehicles are stuck under tons of earth.  Hundreds of emergency workers battled overnight to rescue the men at the Lalmatia open cast mine in Jharkhand's Godda district.
   
Authorities dispatched more than 200 rescue workers from the central National Disaster Management Authority to the site to help with rescue work.

Chief Minister Raghubar Das said that he has directed speedy rescue and relief efforts. "All senior officials have been asked to stay at the site," he said on twitter."Jharkhand Government & Minister @PiyushGoyal are working to restore normalcy," tweeted PM Modi.
   
The mine is operated by the government-owned Eastern Coalfields Limited.Emergency workers are using mechanical diggers to rescue those trapped in the debris.The miners are employed by a private contractor and work round-the-clock.
   
Jharkhand is one of the richest mineral zones in India, some 29 percent of the country's coal deposits present in the impoverished state.