Mexican miners trapped: situation worsens as water levels rise

• The water levels in three shafts of a mine in Mexico suddenly surged on Sunday, delaying efforts to rescue 10 workers trapped inside.
• On August 3, a wall in a tunnel fell and water from a nearby chamber spilled into the three shafts, trapping the miners.
• The water was most likely coming from a neighboring abandoned mine, according to the governor of Coahuila state, where the coal mine is situated.

The water levels in three shafts of a mine in Mexico suddenly surged on Sunday, delaying efforts to rescue 10 workers trapped inside.

On August 3, a wall in a tunnel fell and water from a nearby chamber spilled into the three shafts, trapping the miners.

According to officials, for rescuers to enter the shafts safely, the water must recede to a depth of 1.5 meters (5 feet).

However, it abruptly increased to above 20m on Sunday.

The water was most likely coming from a neighboring abandoned mine, according to the governor of Coahuila state, where the coal mine is situated. Engineers are attempting to identify the source of the leak so they can block it, according to Governor Miguel Riquelme.

The rescue effort has been impeded by a series of difficulties, despite the fact that more than 200 million liters have already been drained out of the shafts.

A unique underwater drone with a camera was lowered into one of the shafts last week.

The drone was expected to bring long-awaited news on the miners’ loved ones, who have been missing for 12 days and have shown no signs of life.

However, the drone was unable to travel to the depth where the miners are thought to have become stranded.

There are numerous substantial obstructions and turbulence in the water, which severely impair visibility, according to a statement.

We cannot send in search and rescue teams under these circumstances.

Relatives of the 10 trapped miners once more vented their despair and rage at the rescue operation’s poor progress and what they perceived as a communication breakdown.

A family member of miner Sergio Cruz told Reuters news agency, “We want them (authorities) to inform us what is happening: if they have discovered the locations where water is flowing through and why.”

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