Death toll in West Siberian coal mine blasts reaches 43
MEZHDURECHENSK (Kemerovo Region). May 11. KAZINFORM The death count in May 8 explosions at the Raspadskaya coal mine in West Siberia has climbed to 43, the local emergencies ministry said.
"The death toll has climbed to 43. Forty seven people are still missing," a spokesman for the ministry said.
More than 70 people were also injured after two explosions hit the mine, near the town of Mezhdurechensk in the Kemerovo Region, in the space of four hours late on Saturday and early on Sunday.
Thirty two bodies have been identified as of now, including 19 rescuers, who arrived at the scene after the first blast, but were killed in the second.
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin arrived in the Kemerovo Region on Tuesday. He is expected to visit with the hospitalized miners and talk to their relatives. Afterwards, he will visit the scene of the accident to see how the relief operation progresses.
Russian Emergencies Minister Sergei Shoigu on Monday said, 311 kilometers (193 miles) of tunnels need to be searched in order to find the missing people, but added hope for their rescue was dimming.
He added that rescuers only had 36-48 hours to find survivors.
He also added that rescuers were unable to move along the main shaft because the elevator and shaft itself were destroyed, but were moving along shafts to the left and right of the main one, RIA Novosti reports.
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