New Delhi [India], April 30 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow over the tragic wall collapse in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, which resulted in the loss of several lives and left others injured.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the Prime Minister extended heartfelt condolences to the families of those who perished and conveyed his prayers for the swift recovery of the injured. He also announced ex gratia compensation from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF): ₹2 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased and ₹50,000 for those injured.
“Deeply saddened by the loss of lives due to the collapse of a wall in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon. An ex gratia of ₹2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given ₹50,000,” PM Modi stated in his post.
The incident occurred earlier today during the Chandanotsavam festival at the Sri Varahalakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple, when a 20-foot-long makeshift structure collapsed. The collapse claimed eight lives and left four others injured.
Vinay Chan, Principal Secretary of the Endowment Department, addressed the media from Tirupati and urged caution against speculation regarding the cause. “It is not appropriate to draw conclusions at this stage. Prima facie, we have observed that there was a heavy downpour between 2:30 and 3:30 a.m. We are thoroughly investigating the matter. Currently, we know that eight people have died. All debris has been cleared, and rescue operations have concluded,” he said.
Teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) promptly responded to the scene. According to an SDRF officer, the incident occurred at approximately 2:30 a.m.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu expressed profound grief and affirmed that state authorities are closely monitoring the situation. In a message shared on X, he stated, “The death of seven devotees in a wall collapse during the Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Chandanotsavam has deeply saddened me. The incident, caused by heavy rains, is truly unfortunate. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their lives. I have spoken to the District Collector and SP and instructed that proper medical care be provided to the injured. I am continuously monitoring the situation.”
Former Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party President YS Jagan Mohan Reddy also expressed his shock and sorrow over the incident. He described the tragedy as “heartbreaking” and lamented the loss of lives of devotees who had come to catch a glimpse of the deity. He emphasized the pain of witnessing such a devastating event during a spiritual occasion.
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