Four Workers Rescued After 12 Hours Trapped Inside Flooded Railway Tunnel in Odisha
Officials said none of them sustained injuries and all are in stable condition
Bhubaneswar: Four workers trapped for nearly 12 hours inside a flooded railway tunnel under construction in Odisha's Boudh district were rescued safely on Sunday following a coordinated operation involving local residents and project authorities.
The workers were inside Tunnel No. 4 near Adenigarh, part of the Khurda-Balangir railway line project, when torrential overnight rain caused flash flooding. Water from the surrounding hills surged into the tunnel late on Saturday, trapping the workers and forcing construction activities to stop.
Rescue efforts began immediately, with local villagers joining officials of the construction company in the operation. After several hours, all four workers were brought out safely. Officials said none of them sustained injuries and all are in stable condition.
“There was heavy rain last night. Around 9 pm, four workers were inside the tunnel when floodwater entered. They were rescued safely this morning, but an earth-mover machine was submerged. The water was flowing with great force and caused extensive damage. There are no proper safety arrangements here, no protective barriers. People are risking their lives while moving through the area," said Rajendra Satpathy, a local resident who participated in the rescue operation.
The Khurda-Balangir railway project, one of Odisha's most significant rail connectivity initiatives, has witnessed disruptions at multiple locations due to persistent rainfall. Tunnel No. 4 was particularly affected as runoff from nearby hills inundated the construction site.
Latest reports said authorities were assessing the damage caused by the flooding, including the submerged construction equipment, and are expected to initiate dewatering operations before work resumes. Officials said construction will restart only after the tunnel is declared safe.
Project authorities and local officials were continuing to monitor the situation as heavy rainfall persisted across parts of the region.