Eight people died and four others were feared trapped after a stone quarry collapsed in south Mizoram's Hnahthial district on Monday evening. All the deceased were labourers from Bihar.
"The identification of the dead bodies will be done after post-mortem examination. Search operation is still going on and will be continued till all missing are found," the National Disaster Response Force said in a statement.
The incident happened at a quarry owned by ABCI Infrastructure private limited at Maudarh village, which was 160 km from Aizawl, a senior police officer told PTI.
The workers had just returned from their lunch break when the quarry caved in around 3 pm. There were 13 people in the quarry at that time. One worker managed to escape while the remaining 12 along with five excavators and drilling machines were buried under the soil.
Rescue operation is still progressing, and the State Disaster Response Force, Border Security Force and Assam Rifles were assisting with the operation. Hnahthial district officials and a medical team also rushed to the spot soon after the incident.
The quarry was over two years ago and the accident happened when the loose soil caved in from the above while the labourers were breaking and collecting the stones.
The company, currently constructing a highway between Hnahthial and Dawn village, collects stones or boulders from the quarry.
(With inputs from PTI)
