Several feared dead after rockfall at stone quarry in Odisha’s Dhenkanal

Several people are feared dead after a large portion of rocks collapsed at a stone quarry in Odisha’s Dhenkanal district, officials said on Sunday.

The incident occurred on Saturday evening when some workers were engaged in drilling and exploration of stone at the quarry located near Gopalpur village under the limits of Motanga police station in the district, officials said.

The exact number of workers trapped under the rocks and the cause of the collapse have not yet been ascertained. However, rescue operations were immediately launched at the site. Local fire service personnel, teams from the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF), along with a dog squad and heavy machinery, were rushed to the area, a fire service officer said.

“The rescue operation is in progress,” the officer said.

Dhenkanal Collector Ashish Ishwar Patil and Superintendent of Police Abhinav Sonkar have reached the spot and are supervising the rescue operation.

Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik, in a post on X, expressed grief over the incident. “I am deeply saddened to learn that workers lost their lives due to a rockfall following an explosion in a stone quarry in Dhenkanal. At this sorrowful time, I convey my deepest condolences to the family members, along with prayers for the eternal peace of the departed souls,” he said.

Patnaik also called for a detailed probe into the incident. “Let appropriate investigations be conducted into the circumstances under which this incident occurred and the state of the workers’ safety measures, and let the government direct its attention toward immediately expediting rescue operations,” he added.

(With inputs from agencies)