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At Least 34 Dead From Coal Mine Blast in Pakistan
The New York Times • • world
Key Points:
- An explosion at a coal mine near Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan, killed at least 34 people, with rescue teams searching for more workers trapped underground.
- The mine collapse occurred 4,000 feet below the surface, and the cause of the explosion is under investigation, with compensation announced for victims' families.
- Balochistan's coal mining industry faces frequent fatal accidents due to poor safety enforcement, inadequate gas monitoring, and precarious mining conditions.
- Most victims were migrant workers from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, driven by poverty to work in hazardous mines, while the region also faces threats from separatist and militant attacks.
- Security concerns have also affected copper mining projects in Balochistan, delaying development of major reserves by international companies.
