KURNOOL: A cracked 50-ft rock, estimated to be 500 years old, on the outskirts of Gonegandla village in Kurnool has kept the district administration on their toes. Panic prevailed in the region after the boulder spilt vertically, emitting a rumbling noise on Sunday.
On receiving the information, Adoni sub-collector Abhisek Kumar, officials of mines department, State Disaster Response Force, revenue and police officers on Tuesday visited the village and asked the people residing in vicinity to shift to safer places till repair works are complete. Locals, however, are reluctant to leave their houses.
Officials took stock of the situation and decided to fix the rock so that the cracks do not widen. However, they are concerned that the rock on top of the cracked boulder might roll down. According to locals, the rock used to be on a small hill, Narasappa Konda, spread over at least five acres, but the plain land was encroached slowly and houses were constructed on it.
Officials have decided to fill the gap with cement concrete mixture. They will also erect iron poles and construct a cement structure at the bottom of the rock to keep it in place. It is suspected that the rock, weighing about 5,000 tonnes with the boulder on top of it, might have cracked due to excessive heat.