Rescue operations faces further delay at Payyanamon quarry

Rescue efforts to trace a Bihar native trapped in the quarry at Payyanamon near Konni continue to face delays on Tuesday (July 8, 2025), following a massive rockslide.

Though operations, which were suspended on late Monday (July 7, 2025) evening, resumed on Tuesday morning, the mission had to be halted again after another rockfall occurred at the site. The rescue will restart once additional machinery, including a large crane, is brought in.

Earlier in the day, four members of the rescue team used special ropes to reach the accident zone and inspect the area where the earthmover machine was buried. The cabin of the machine lies completely covered under large boulders. According to officials, removing the debris using manpower is not feasible and a crane is essential to move forward.

“The entire cabin of the machine is buried under rocks. It is impossible to remove the boulders without the help of a crane,” said Prathap Chandran, District Fire Officer. He added that the next phase of the operation would begin once the crane arrives at the site.

Authorities have already recovered 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 rocks using the earthmover. A section of the hill gave way, burying the machine beneath a massive pile of debris. It took several hours for the Fire Force team to reach the area and retrieve Mahadev’s body.

In addition to the Fire Force, a 27-member team from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is also participating in the rescue mission.

While local residents have alleged that the Chenkulath quarry was operating without proper approvals, the district administration clarified that the site does have authorisation from the Department of Geology. District Collector Prem Krishnan has directed the department to conduct an urgent assessment of the quarrying operations and submit a detailed report.

Meanwhile, local residents have claimed that the quarry is operating without adhering to basic safety norms and demanding stricter oversight.