Rayagada: The driver and helper of a truck were critically injured after the loaded vehicle fell into a 20-ft deep gorge from a hilly road in Odisha’s Rayagada district.
Sources said the mishap took place at Mukundpur Ghat in Kolnara block of the district late Saturday night. The mishap took place apparently after the driver of the truck lost control over the wheels while descending the curvy slopes of Mukundpur Ghat.
Locals said that the truck veered off the hilly road all of a sudden and plunged into the gorge 20 feet down. The vehicle was reportedly returning to Rayagada from Berhampur when the mishap took place. Local residents rushed to the scene and alerted authorities, after which an extensive search and rescue operation was launched.
A team from fire service from Kolnara rushed to the accident site and launched an operation to rescue the injured. Both the driver and helper were found trapped inside the crushed cabin, surrounded by debris and metal. The rescue team used hydraulic cutters and ropes to reach the victims.
Reports from the ground mentioned that the two were still alive but bleeding heavily and semi-conscious state. They were pulled out after a nearly 30-minute-long operation.
After preliminary aid at the site, both were rushed to the District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) at Rayagada. Their condition was stated to be critical.
