The mechanisms of water and sand inrush disasters in coal mines are complex, and their prevention and control pose significant challenges. To address issues such as the inconspicuous disaster precursors, large instantaneous inrush volumes, and challenges in prediction and forecasting during mining operations, this study summarizes research progress from the perspectives of hydrogeological conditions, disaster mechanisms, prevention and control technologies, and monitoring and early warning systems. Typical engineering cases of water and sand inrush are selected from shallow-buried thin bedrock mining areas, deep-buried weakly cemented rock layers, and mining areas near loose strata. The analysis elucidates typical hydrogeological conditions and disaster characteristics, summarizes the necessary conditions for their occurrence, and explains the mechanisms of water and sand inrush under different sedimentary environments. Water and sand inrush results from the combined influence of sedimentary environments and mining activities. Sedimentary environments provide the source and dynamic conditions for water and sand, while mining activities determine the formation of water and sand pathways and the initiation conditions. For three identified disaster-inducing modes, this study discusses prevention and control technologies, including aquifer modification, conventional dewatering and pressure reduction, surface direct drainage holes, and pre-installed diversion pipes combined with fan-shaped drainage. Based on this foundation and integrating multi-physical field monitoring data from both surface and underground, an intelligent "perception-early warning-decision" prevention and control framework is proposed. This forms a comprehensive technical system for the dynamic monitoring, early warning, and prevention of water and sand inrush from the roof strata of working faces, while also outlining future development directions.