Shillong, Feb. 5 -- The death toll in the coal mine incident that occurred in the Thangskai area of Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills district has risen to 18.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Vikash Kumar said that information about an explosion at an illegal coal mine in Mynsyngat, Thangsko (Thangskai), in the Umpleng police outpost area was received this morning, after which police personnel rushed to the incident site.

In a press release, SP Kumar confirmed that an explosion had taken place inside an illegal coal mine, and several persons were suspected to be trapped, with 18 bodies recovered from the incident site during the rescue operation.

"During the course of the rescue operation, a total of 18 (eighteen) dead bodies have been reco...