Jharkhand: House collapses due to land subsidence in Dhanbad, earth cracks at several places

Dhanbad, Aug 18 (IANS) A major incident of land subsidence occurred in the Jogta police station area of Dhanbad district of Jharkhand on Monday, when a house was reduced to rubble, triggering panic among residents.

The affected house, belonging to a woman named Kalyani Devi, was completely razed to the ground. Fortunately, moments before the collapse, the family managed to escape after sensing vibrations and hearing a loud sound.

“The entire house collapsed with a huge explosion. We rushed out just in time. All our belongings -- grains, clothes, household items -- are buried under the debris. We have nothing left to eat or wear,” Devi said with tears.

She demanded immediate relief, including shelter, food for her children, and compensation from the administration and Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL).

The family said that the house had been constructed with borrowed money taken on interest, which now lies destroyed.

The subsidence also caused large cracks in the earth and formed deep pits in several places, spreading fear in the neighbourhood.

Local resident Indradev Bhuiyan blamed both the administration and BCCL for negligence. “Despite repeated complaints, no action has been taken. These incidents keep happening every year,” he alleged.

Soon after the incident, BCCL officials reached the site but refused to answer media queries and reportedly reacted angrily.

Land subsidence has been a recurring problem in Dhanbad, where underground mine fires have been raging for more than seven decades in the coalfield areas.

Every year, dozens of such incidents occur, damaging houses, displacing families, and threatening lives. Yet, despite the risks, lakhs of people continue to live in the affected regions, often with little support or compensation.

Monday’s incident has once again raised serious questions about the safety of residents living in these areas. No concrete steps have been taken to prevent such disasters in the future.

--IANS

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