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7 killed, 45 trapped as coal mine collapses in NW Pakistan

12 March 2016 20:25 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. At least seven laborers were killed, 10 injured and 45 others trapped when a coal mine collapsed in Pakistan's northwest tribal area of Orakzai agency on Saturday night, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

Urdu TV channel ARY News said that over 60 people were working in the mine when it caved in due to heavy rains in Doli area of Orakzai Agency, a tribal area located near the border with Afghanistan.

Shaukat Yousufzai, an official with the government of neighboring Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, said that death toll is feared to rise as the area is not well developed and rescue teams do not have enough machinery to recover the trapped people from the debris of the mine.

He said that darkness and rainy weather is also acting as a hinderance in the rescue work.

The injured laborers have been shifted to a nearby hospital.

Heavy rains have been lashing tribal areas, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and other parts of the country over the last 24 hours.

According to local media reports over 20 people have been killed and scores others injured in the heavy downpour in the country since Friday.