At least 13 killed in a stone quarry collapse in India’s northeast. 16 others remain missing

GUWAHATI, India (AP) — A stone quarry collapsed Tuesday in India’s northeast due to heavy rains triggered by a tropical storm, killing 13 quarry workers, officials said, while 16 remain missing.

Senior police officer Rahul Alwal said rescuers recovered the bodies of those killed from the quarry in Melthum, some 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) from the state capital Aizwal, and were able to pull out two workers alive from the debris.

Alwal said rescue workers are digging through the rubble to try and reach the trapped workers while looking for more survivors

Mizoram houses many stone quarries where raw material is mined for road and building construction. Many companies, however, extract stones without getting the required environmental clearance.

Last year, seven workers were killed in the state’s Mamit town when a stone quarry collapsed. In 2022, 12 workers were killed in another similar collapse.

India’s northeastern states are witnessing heavy rainfall after tropical storm Remal made landfall in Bangladesh on Monday.

India’s Meteorological Department has warned that heavy rains may cause damage to vulnerable structures and thatched houses, and result in landslides in the region.