Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) [India]: At least seven people were killed and four others injured when a 20-foot-long makeshift structure collapsed during the Chandanotsavam festival at the Sri Varahalakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple in Visakhapatnam in the early hours of Wednesday, officials confirmed.
The incident occurred around 2:30 a.m., according to a jawan from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF).
“Seven people died in the incident. The injured have been sent to the hospital for treatment. We immediately reached the spot after the incident was reported,” the SDRF official told ANI.
Teams from both the SDRF and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were deployed to carry out search and rescue operations.
Vangalapudi Anitha, Andhra Pradesh’s Home and Disaster Management Minister, rushed to the scene to oversee rescue efforts.
“There was heavy rainfall. All precautions had been taken. It is unfortunate,” she said while speaking to MEDIA.
Officials have not yet released full details on the cause of the collapse, and further updates are awaited.