Landslide claims 2 lives as men dig for coal in Kentucky, U.S.

A tragic landslide occurred around 01:00 LT (06:00 UTC) on December 27 in Clay County, Kentucky, burying 2 men under rubble. The incident happened in the Stone Gap Road area which is located north of Manchester, a region also referred to as the “Big Wildcat” community.

The victims, aged 37 and 40, both from Manchester, were attempting to collect coal for heating purposes when part of the hillside gave way as stated by Clay County Coroner’s Office.

Reports indicate that the area of the collapse was near an abandoned coal mine. Officials stated that the men had already extracted at least 1 bucket of raw coal before the hillside slid onto the road.

Deputies discovered the collapsed mountainside and debris after the victims’ families reported them missing. Emergency responders along with road crews worked through the night to recover the bodies.

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that most of the debris was recovered before the recovery was completed. Equipment and raw coal were found near the victims’ vehicle which confirmed they had been engaged in coal collection when the incident occurred.

Clay County Emergency Management and law enforcement officials are conducting an investigation into the landslide. The sheriff’s office noted that the unstable terrain near old coal mining areas poses inherent risks that may have contributed to the collapse.

Clay County is situated just east of the Daniel Boone National Forest, a region with a history of coal mining.

Investigation efforts remain ongoing with authorities aiming to understand the factors leading to the collapse and prevent future occurrences in the area.

References:

¹ 2 killed in landslide at old Clay County mine identified – FOX 56 – December 27, 2024

² Two killed in overnight Kentucky landslide – WKYT – December 27, 2024

Rishika Yadav

Rishika holds a Master’s in International Studies from Stella Maris College, Chennai, India, where she earned a gold medal, and an MCA from the University of Mysore, Karnataka, India. Previously, she served as a Research Assistant at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India. During her tenure, she contributed as a Junior Writer for Europe Monitor on the Global Politics website and as an Assistant Editor for The World This Week. Her work has also been published in The Hindu newspaper, showing her expertise in global affairs. Rishika is also a recipient of the Women Empowerment Award at the district level in Haryana, India, in 2022.

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