After an unexpected burst of water swamped the site on Monday evening, the Indian Navy sent deep divers to help officials rescue nine labourers who were stuck in a coal mine in the Dima Hasao region of Assam. Authorities say the quarry's water level has risen dangerously to almost 100 feet.

Navy divers were flown from Visakhapatnam to help a 30-member team from the National Disaster Response Force and another team of 8 personnel from the State Disaster Response Force with the rescue operation of trapped workers. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma mentioned that the coal mine seems to have been operating illegally. A case has been filed under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, to investigate the incident. The Chief Minister added that one individual, Punish Nunisa, had been taken into custody in relation to the issue.

Several agencies, including the Indian Army, Assam Rifles and local government, have collaborated on the rescue attempts, which started soon after the flooding catastrophe. Experts with cutting-edge equipment, including medical teams, sappers and divers, have been sent to the location. A defence spokesperson told the news agency PTI, "The rescue efforts have been joined by an engineers task force with equipment, divers and medical teams from the Indian Army and the Assam Rifles." To remove water from the mine, two water pumping machines have also been put into service. Despite ongoing efforts, none of the workers trapped inside the mine have been rescued yet.

Early reports indicated that around 15 workers were inside the mine when a sudden rush of water flooded the site, but authorities have only confirmed the identities of nine workers. The trapped workers are identified as Ganga Bahadur Shreth, Hussain Ali, Jakir Hussain, Sarpa Barman, Mustafa Seikh, Khushi Mohan Rai, Sanjit Sarkar, Lijan Magar and Sarat Goyary. Initial evaluations and eyewitness reports suggested that the workers were unable to flee since the flooding happened suddenly.