In Pictures: Indian coal mines still burning after a century

Fires in coal pits in Eastern India spew flames and clouds of poisonous fumes into the air

Published: November 09, 2019 20:15 Compiled by Nathaniel Lacsina, Digital Content Producer

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Laborers lift a large basket filled with coal. The fires started in 1916. More than a century later, coal pits in Jharia, in a remote corner of India's eastern Jharkhand state, continue to spew flames and clouds of poisonous fumes into the air. Image Credit: AP

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An excavator is used at an open-cast mine. Coal is an important contributor to India's growth, supporting its iron and steel industries and generating more than half the country's power. In Jharia, the heart of India's coal industry, the livelihoods of half a million people depend on it. This, however, comes at a cost. Image Credit: AP

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A laborer sports an anklet as she takes a break from loading coal. For the past century, inhabitants have braved sizzling temperatures, deadly sinkholes and toxic gases. The coal fires pose an even greater threat to the lives of those who work in the mines, which cover more than 260 square kilometers. Image Credit: AP

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Laborers eat lunch at a coal loading site. Decades of underground coal mining have hollowed Jharia's land. The collapse of houses and other structures on the surface due to subsidence is increasingly common. Image Credit: AP

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Flames rise out of the fissures on the ground above coal mines. Respiratory diseases like tuberculosis, bronchitis and asthma are common. Children have been born deformed, and some people have fallen into the raging fire pits and died. Image Credit: AP

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A laborer keeps watch as coal is unloaded from a truck. In 2008, Bharat Coking Coal Ltd., a subsidiary of state-owned Coal India, began a program to relocate almost 53,400 families living in fire-affected areas by 2021. But by 2016, only 4,000 families were relocated. Image Credit: AP

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A laborer smiles as he prepares to drink water during a break. Over the years, the number of people needing to be resettled has risen to at least 130,000 families. Image Credit: AP

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A metal vessel filled with drinking water stands at a coal loading site. As the government deadline of 2021 approaches, the lives of people in the fire-affected areas are getting harder. With few jobs available, many young people work as coal loaders for less than $4 a day or risk their lives scavenging coal. Image Credit: AP

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A vendor stands next to his food cart as smoke rises from a recently collapsed house due to land subsidence. Image Credit: AP

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A motorist rides past a warning painted on a wall informing people about the burning coal mine zone and land subsidence. Image Credit: AP

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Children of laborers who work in coal fields play a game of soccer. Image Credit: AP

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Laborers fill baskets with coal before loading it into trucks for transportation. Image Credit: AP

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A laborer smiles as she interacts with fellow laborers during a break from loading coal into trucks for transportation. Image Credit: AP

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Laborers lift a large piece of coal before loading it onto a truck for transportation. Image Credit: AP

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Girls carry vessels filled with drinking water. Image Credit: AP

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Village houses are seen above the glowing embers of an underground coal fire. Image Credit: AP

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