Sonbhadra Mining Collapse: Death Toll Rises to 5 as 45-Hour Multi-Agency Rescue Operation Continues

New Delhi:  A major tragedy struck the Sonbhadra mining area in Uttar Pradesh’s Sonbhadra district on late Saturday afternoon, where the Dead bodies of five trapped labourers have now been recovered following a massive landslide inside a stone quarry. Authorities confirmed the rising toll after rescue teams pulled out one more dead body early Sunday, adding to the four recovered overnight.

The rescue operation has been underway for nearly 45 hours, as teams battle unstable terrain and continuous sliding of loose debris. Personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Fire Services, and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) are jointly engaged in the challenging task.

Police and Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) has been stationed at the site to control crowds, assist rescue teams, and ensure operational safety. Officials said heavy machinery, including excavators and earth-movers, has been pressed into service to clear the massive layers of rubble.

According to locals, the collapse occurred when a large section of the hill suddenly caved in while labourers were working inside the quarry. The force of the landslide buried workers instantly, leaving several trapped under huge boulders and soil.

Uttar Pradesh minister and local MLA Sanjeev Kumar Gond, who visited the spot in the Billi Markundi mining area after the collapse on Saturday evening, said, "Around a dozen labourers might be trapped under the debris".

Additional Director General of Police (ADG), Varanasi Zone, Piyush Mordia on Sunday said clearing the rubble is taking time due to presence of several heavy stones.

Authorities are coordinating with local contractors to ascertain the total number of labourers present at the site at the time of the collapse. Identification of the deceased is underway, and further updates are expected as operations continue.

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