Death toll from mine explosion in eastern Iran rises to 30

The death toll from an explosion in a mine in the town of Tabas in the eastern Iranian province of South Khorasan has risen to 30 people. This was reported by Khabar Online news agency on Sunday, September 22, citing the director general of the region's crisis management.

"The death toll from the Tabas mine accident increased to 30 people by 9 a.m. (8:30 Moscow time - Ed.)," the agency writes.

According to the governor of South Khorasan province Mohammad Ali Akhundi, in the current situation there is a possibility of an increase in the number of victims.

Earlier in the day it was reported about 19 dead. It was noted that 69 workers were working in blocks C and B of the coal mine in Tabas at the time of the explosion. The provincial crisis management director general also said that the explosion in the mine was not a fire, and specified that methane emission in the tunnels caused suffocation of people working in the mine.