Islamabad, Pakistan – At least 34 miners were killed in a massive explosion at a coal mine in southern Pakistan, the country’s disaster management agency announced Friday. The deadly blast, caused by a buildup of toxic methane gas, occurred Thursday, leaving widespread destruction inside the mine near the capital of the mineral-rich Balochistan province. Authorities declared a state of emergency and launched a large-scale rescue operation. “According to information received from rescue teams deployed at the site, 34 bodies have been recovered,” the provincial disaster management authority said in a statement released early Friday.
The agency added in its statement that the joint rescue operation is still underway to locate and extract any miners trapped under the rubble. Authorities declined to specify the total number of miners who were inside the mine at the time of the explosion, citing poor ventilation and complex underground working conditions. This disaster once again highlights the recurring problem of deadly mining accidents in Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan, the country’s largest and poorest province.
