Rockfall hits quarry in Kerala killing one worker, trapping another
text_fields
Pathanamthitta: A tragic accident occurred on Monday at a granite quarry in Payyanamon near Konni, Pathanamthitta, where one worker lost his life and another remained trapped following a major rockfall.
The incident took place while two workers—51-year-old Mahadev Pradhan from Odisha and 38-year-old Ajay Kumar Rai from Bihar—were operating an excavator.
A massive rock reportedly became dislodged and crashed down onto the machine, completely burying it and the men beneath debris. The force of the fall destroyed the excavator.
Rescue teams managed to recover Pradhan’s body, but Rai was still trapped under heavy boulders by the end of the day.
Due to worsening weather conditions and a second rockfall that endangered rescue personnel, operations were halted in the evening.
Officials stated that efforts involving the police, fire and rescue services, and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) would resume on Tuesday.
The accident occurred in a remote section of the quarry, which led to a considerable delay in notifying emergency services. Rescue efforts were further complicated by the size of the fallen boulders and the instability of the surrounding terrain, TNIE reported.
Pathanamthitta District Collector S. Prem Krishnan, who was overseeing operations on-site, had to be moved after a subsequent rockfall made the area too dangerous.
Officials from the Fire and Rescue Services stated they were informed of the incident at around 3:20 p.m. and arrived at the location within 20 minutes. However, due to the inaccessibility of the site, it took an additional hour to install the necessary equipment and ropes to safely descend into the quarry pit.
Rescue teams successfully evacuated two machine operators who had been stranded near the collapse site. One body was also recovered during the operation. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) joined the rescue by 7 p.m.
In response to the incident, the district collector has ordered the quarry to remain closed until further notice.
