Dozens of miners killed in coal mine explosion in Pakistan

An explosion at a coal mine near Quetta in Pakistan's Balochistan province killed at least 34 miners on Thursday, July 31, 2026. Authorities said the blast was likely caused by a build-up of methane gas, and rescue crews worked through the night searching for miners still missing at depths of around 4,000 feet. Officials said the explosion damaged two adjacent mines, and a provincial minister announced compensation for victims' families along with a promised investigation and safety review of Balochistan's coal mines. Deadly mining accidents are common in the resource-rich but impoverished province, which lacks adequate ventilation and gas-monitoring safeguards in many mines.