Six Odisha laborers died and 10 were injured after a portion of a granite quarry collapsed in Andhra Pradesh's Bapatla district. Relief and rescue operations are ongoing.
Andhra Pradesh Collapse: A major accident occurred on Sunday morning at the Satyakrishna Granite Quarry near Ballikurava in the Bapatla district of Andhra Pradesh. A large section of rocks suddenly collapsed, trapping the laborers working in the quarry. Six migrant laborers from Odisha died in the accident, while 10 others were injured. The accident occurred at approximately 10:30 AM when about 16 laborers were working in the quarry.
Preliminary Police Investigation
According to police officials, the primary cause of the accident may be water leakage from beneath the rock, which destabilized it and caused it to collapse. The police stated that there was no explosion or seismic activity recorded at the time of the incident. A forensic team has arrived at the scene, and a technical investigation of the accident is underway.
Relief and Rescue Operations on Site
Relief and rescue operations were initiated immediately after the incident. A team from the mining department and the police jointly extracted the injured from the debris. All the injured have been admitted to nearby hospitals where they are receiving treatment. The bodies of the deceased have been sent for post-mortem examination.
Swift Response from the Odisha Government
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has expressed deep sorrow over the accident. He has announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹4 lakh each to the families of the deceased. A statement issued by the Odisha CMO identified the deceased as residents of Ganjam and Gajapati districts. These include Danda Badtya, Banmal Chehra, Bhaskar Bisoi, Santosh Gaud, Takuma Dalai, and Musa Jan.
Preparations to Send the Bodies of the Deceased to Odisha
Ganjam District Magistrate Keerthi Vasan V informed that a team has been dispatched to the site to ensure the respectful transportation of the deceased's bodies to their native places. Coordination is being established with the Bapatla District Magistrate to expedite the process of bringing the bodies to Odisha. The bodies will be handed over to the concerned administration as soon as the post-mortem is completed.
Condolences and Directives from State Governments
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has also expressed deep sorrow over the accident. He has instructed officials to provide better treatment to the injured and to conduct a thorough investigation into the causes of the accident. Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) chief Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has also expressed grief and appealed for immediate assistance to the families of the deceased.
Condition of the Injured Laborers
An official from the Odisha government stated that at least eight Odia laborers were injured in the accident. They have been admitted to various hospitals in Andhra Pradesh. The injured laborers are being identified, and their treatment is being continuously monitored.
Activeness of Local Administration
An administrative team led by the Assistant Tehsildar of Digapahandi has been sent to Bapatla to gather information about the entire incident and provide assistance to the affected families. The District Magistrate has clarified that all necessary steps are being taken to ensure that the affected families do not face any kind of problem.
