Nine people, including four children, were killed when a house in Tamil Nadu’s Vellore district collapsed due to the heavy rains since Thursday, an official said on Friday.
District collector P Kumaravel Pandian, who visited the spot, said the house was very old and located along the banks of a river near Pernampet. “Four people resided in this house and as the rains got heavier, people from adjacent houses moved to the first floor of this house on Thursday night for shelter.” Pernampet was severely flooded, he added.
“The house was already in a dangerous condition because it was old and due to rains, it weakened further and around 7.15 this (Friday) morning, the house collapsed,” said Pandian.
Officials said the injured were receiving treatment at Gudiyatham Government Hospital and Government Vellore Medical College Hospital in Adukkamparai.
Chief Minister M K Stalin announced a financial assistance of ₹five lakh each for the families of those killed and ₹50,000 each for those undergoing treatment.