Nine bodies have been retrieved so far from the debris of an under-construction tunnel that collapsed after a landslide on Thursday evening on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway in the Khooni Nalla area of Ramban district. One person is believed to be still trapped under the debris.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Ramban Mohita Sharma said, "So far nine bodies have been recovered from the spot, maybe one is left". Out of these nine deceased, five were from West Bengal, one from Assam, one from Nepal, and two were local.
"Nine bodies recovered from debris site at Khooni Nallah. Will keep on updating", Deputy Commissioner Ramban also tweeted.
Rescue operation resumed
The rescue operation at the Ramban site that was put on hold late Friday evening after a fresh landslide resumed on Saturday.
Reports said that authorities have resumed the debris clearing operation at the landslide site. The number of machinery and technical people have been increased to finish the work as soon as possible.
The mouth of an under-construction tunnel was hit by a landslide on the Jammu-Srinagar NationalHighway in the Ramban district.
It was not a tunnel collapse, says DC Ramban
Deputy Commissioner Ramban Mussarat Islam clarified that it was not a tunnel that collapsed, but the mouth of the tunnel was hit by the landslide.
As clarified by NHAI, it is informed that there is no tunnel collapse near Khooni Nallah. A slide occurred on the mouth of adit tunnel to T4 on Thursday night under which a labour component of concessionaire co was working. Operation continues. @diprjk @Rameshkumarias @infjammu
— Deputy Commissioner, Ramban (@dcramban) May 21, 2022
"As clarified by the National Highway Authority of India it is informed that there is no tunnel collapse near Khooni Nallah. A slide occurred on the mouth of adit tunnel to T4 on Thursday night under which a labour component of concessionaire co was working. Operation continues", the Deputy Commissioner tweeted.
ADGP visits the site of the incident near Khooni Nala
Mukesh Singh, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Jammu Zone, Jammu visited the site of the incident at Ramban. Higher-ups in the police are monitoring the situation under the supervision of ADGP Jammu Zone who is also on spot.
Search still on for the 10th missing person at debris site at Khooni Nallah. HLG monitoring situation. More updates to follow. @diprjk @RambanPolice @mohita_ips @OfficeOfLGJandK @DrJitendraSingh @nitishwarKumar pic.twitter.com/TJ6RyGswXL
— Deputy Commissioner, Ramban (@dcramban) May 21, 2022
ADGP reviewed the ongoing rescue operations on the site. He was briefed about the deployment of force in the rescue operation. Teams of Army, NDRF, SDRF, Police, Civil QRTs, and civil administration are part of the rescue operations.
Just in - 09 bodies recovered from debris site at Khooni Nallah. Will keep on updating. @diprjk @OfficeOfLGJandK @mohita_ips @nitishwarKumar @ddnews_jammu pic.twitter.com/1YNk1FVY0B
— Deputy Commissioner, Ramban (@dcramban) May 21, 2022
