In an open-pit coal mine collapse on Thursday because of a landslide in China, at least 48 people are missing. Rescuers are digging through tonnes of the earth with bulldozers and backhoes to find missing people. According to the latest world news, the death toll in the mishap has increased to 5. The search operations had to be suspended at Mongolia’s Alxa League for several hours because of a second landslide.
A second landslide struck the coal mine after five hours
The initial landslide occurred on Wednesday at 1 p.m., caving the mine. It buried mining trucks and people in tonnes of sand and rocks. The work at the mine was suspended after a second landslide struck the site five hours later.
According to the latest information, several SUVs, fire engines, trucks, and bulldozers passed through the remote police checkpoint, which is located 16 miles to the southwest of the coal mine, on Thursday afternoon. According to information shared by the official Xinhua News Agency, around 900 people were engaged in the rescue operation with heavy equipment on Thursday morning.
Police allowed people on the road that leads to the mine after verifying the entry passes. According to a police officer, the only people allowed in the area are those who have obtained government passes. Authorities relocated residents living near the mine to a nearby town.
Xi Jinping orders officials to ensure the safety of those affected by the mine collapse
Xi Jinping, the president of China, ordered the officials to put in all efforts to rescue the people buried at the mine. He also told them to ensure the overall stability, property, and safety of people close to the site. According to the visuals obtained from CCTV, massive debris from the wall is seen slipping down to the trucks and people below.
According to breaking BNN News, Inner Mongolia Xin Jinping Coal Industry Co. Ltd., the company responsible for the operation of the coal mine, was fined last year for insecure routes leading to the pit, storing volatile and unsafe materials at the site, and providing improper training to the staff. The authorities are investigating the cause of the accident.
The critics say mining for rare earth, minerals, and coal in the Inner Mongolia region has ravaged the scenery of grassy steps, mountain landscapes, and deserts. Power generation in China mainly relies on coal. The nation has put in significant efforts to reduce accidents at the site and has closed several operations that lacked safety equipment.
Poor regulation and improper training for ensuring safety in China have resulted in several accidents at construction sites and in industrial complexes in recent months. A tendency for short routes and rampant corruption, along with companies that seek to make handsome profits, are making the situation worse.
Despite the high-profile incidents, accidents at industrial complexes and facilities in China decreased by 27% in the previous year, despite many facilities being shut down during the coronavirus pandemic. Also, the deaths in those accidents dropped by 23.6%, according to information shared by the ministry.
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