Tunnel collapse kills 1, traps nine in Ramban
3 workers rescued; search ops halted as tunnel caves in further, strong rains lash the area
One worker was killed while at least nine others were trapped under the debris of an under-construction tunnel that collapsed late on Thursday on the Jammu-Srinagar highway in Ramban district, officials said.
Three workers were rescued by Friday afternoon and the body of the deceased was also found, but nine workers were still trapped in the collapsed tunnel, said officials on the scene. The rescue operation was ongoing at the time of publishing.
“Around 10.15pm on Thursday, a tunnel of T3 caved in near Khooni Nullah in Ramban, trapping more than a dozen labourers of Sarla Company working at the site,” said an official familiar with developments. At least 12 workers of the company were conducting an audit in the tunnel when it collapsed.
Jammu divisional commissioner Ramesh Kumar and additional director general of police (ADGP), Jammu Zone, Mukesh Singh, reached the site to oversee the rescue operation. J&K lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha took stock of the situation via videoconference.
A joint rescue team by police and the army was deployed around midnight for the rescue operation and later on Friday, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) was called in, according to DC Kumar.
“The rescue operation is still going on. It is likely to take more time as rock-breakers are being used to create space for reaching the trapped workers,” he said.
Ramban deputy commissioner Masrat-ul-Islam said the mouth of the tunnel was completely blocked by debris. He added that ‘shooting stones’— pieces of rock and debris falling from the mountainside — were impeding rescue efforts. “Heavy machinery cannot be deployed because of them,” he said.
The three workers who were rescued soon after the collapse at around 10:15 pm on Thursday were shifted to district hospital
Ramban from where one of them — Vishnu Gola (33) of Jharkhand was referred to government medical college and hospital in Jammu for advanced treatment.
The 10 missing persons have been identified as Jadav Roy (23), Gautam Roy (22), Sudhir Roy (31), Dipak Roy (33), Parimal Roy (38), all from West Bengal, Shiva Chouhan (26) from Assam, Nawaraj Chowdhury (26) and Kushi Ram ( 25), both from Nepal, Muzaffar (38) and Ishrat (30), both locals from Ramban.