Vikram Rana, an engineer from Fatehpur in Himachal Pradesh, remains missing five days after a massive landslide struck a tunnel construction site in Kerala's Wayanad district on July 7. His family is still waiting for any news of his whereabouts.
Rana is a resident of Sarela village under the Takoli-Ghirthan panchayat in the Fatehpur sub-division. He was working at the tunnel site when the landslide hit, trapping several workers under debris.
Family waits at the site for news
Rana's brothers, Promod Rana and Kulwant Rana, reached the site on Wednesday, a day after the incident. They have been staying there since, anxiously waiting for any update on their brother.
Speaking over the phone, Promod Rana said that rescue teams have recovered multiple bodies so far. According to The Tribune, the first body recovered was that of site engineer Rahul Sharma from Himachal Pradesh's Mandi district. Two more bodies were found later.
Rescue teams recover more bodies
On Friday morning, rescue teams retrieved another body from the site. The deceased was an employee of the construction company and hailed from West Bengal. His body was found in a flooded nullah adjoining the landslide area.
The search operation continues as teams work to locate the remaining missing persons, including Vikram Rana. The landslide at the tunnel construction site has been devastating, with heavy monsoon rains triggering the disaster.
Our Take: A painful wait for families
This story is a stark reminder of the risks faced by workers at construction sites, especially during monsoon season. For Vikram Rana's family, every passing day without news is agonizing. The recovery of bodies from other states shows how this tragedy has affected families across India. In our view, the focus must remain on completing the rescue operation as quickly as possible and ensuring that all workers at such sites have better safety measures in place. The families deserve answers and closure.
Sources & References
- The Tribune — Himachal engineer missing after landslide hits Wayanad tunnel project site
