The rescue operation in the Chengalam quarry in the village of Payyanamon Thazham in Konna in the Pathanamthita district continued Tuesday evening after a temporary suspension caused by repeated rocky soil in the place.
Although the operation continued later at a slow pace after the crane arrived from Karunagapally, the unstable terrain continues to prevent effort throughout the day. The narrow and harsh hill route also makes it difficult to bring a larger crane, the rescuer said.
With the advent of heavy iron ropes and three excavators, however, the mission gathered the momenum in the evening.
According to the official on the spot, the excavation buried under massive boulders will be provided by an iron rope that rescuers carry into the pit by rising down with larger ropes. Once the buried machine is tied, the other end of the rope will be attached to the three excavators located higher, which will try to pull out the captured equipment and hopefully a debris worker.
Evening leg Operation started around 18:00
The fire and rescue service staff described this mission as a rescue from a height of 15 to 20 -storey buildings. “But instead of floors it’s free, sliding rocks,” said the clerk
The District Collector Prem shorts K. said that officials seek to complete the operation on Tuesday, but acknowledged that the threat that the rocks were released from above is serious for those on the spot.
Previously, four members of the rescue team used special ropes to reach the accident and inspected the area where the country was buried. The machine cabin is completely covered under large boulders. According to officials, the removal of debris is not feasible by the workforce and the crane is necessary to move forward.
The authorities have already acquired the body of Mahadev Pradhan (51), a native of Odisha. The search is now focused on locating the second missing worker, identified as Ajay Kumar Rai (38) from Bihar.
The landslide occurred on Monday afternoon, while workers were preparing a platform to break the rocks using Earthmver. Part of the hill retreated and buried the machine under the massive pile of debris. The Fire Force Team team took several hours to get into the area and gain Mahadev’s body.
The family of the missing worker, Ajay Kumar Rai, reached the quarry. Ajay, a migrating worker from the village of Simarl in Begusarai, Bihar, was the only breadwinner of his wife and three children
Published – 8 July 2025 17:07
