Five labourers were rescued from a collapsed under-construction tunnel of the Bargi canal project in Katni district of Madhya Pradesh, and efforts to save four more were continuing, officials said on Sunday.
The incident happened on Saturday when the construction work was going on and at least nine labourers were said to be trapped.
Katni district collector Priyank Mishra said that two out of the four labourers still stuck in the tunnel have been traced, while the rescue team is trying to locate the other. "At present talks are being held with two people trapped inside the tunnel, efforts are being made to make contact with two others," Mishra.
Locals officials, along with State Disaster Emergency Response Force (SDERF) team, which has reached from Jabalpur district, are trying to safely rescue the remaining labourers. District administration along with district police have reached to the spot.
Madhya Pradesh Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Rajesh Rajora is monitoring the rescue operation.
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan took cognizance of the incident and also has been monitoring the rescue operation with officials in Bhopal, as the CMO office informed.
(With inputs from IANS)
