The search and rescue teams have recovered four bodies from the debris of a two-storey building in Gujarat's Junagarh that collapsed on Monday afternoon. The rescue operation is still on and the recovered bodies have been sent to a civil hospital for postmortem.
Junagadh collector Anil Ranavasiya said the administration immediately sent NDRF teams and other resources after he received a call from the disaster control room regarding the building collapse at around 1.10pm. Four persons, including two children aged 13 and 7 and their father, were among the four killed in the incident.
"At around 1:10 pm, I got a call from the disaster Control Room that there is a building collapse on Datar Road, Junagadh. We immediately pulled our NDRF teams & other resources. The rescue operation is still going on. Till now we have recovered four dead bodies and in that, a boy aged 7 years, another boy aged 13 to 14 years, and two adult males aged 35 and 52 have been sent to a civil hospital for necessary postmortem..." the official told ANI.
The authorities are investigating the cause of the collapse.
{{/usCountry}}The authorities are investigating the cause of the collapse.
{{/usCountry}}The state government has announced ₹4 lakh as ex gratia to the next of kin of the victims.
"The incident of the building collapse in Junagadh is very tragic. My heartfelt condolences go out to the relatives of the deceased who lost their lives in this unfortunate event. I pray to God for the peace of the souls of the departed. The state government has provided Rs. 4 lakh in assistance to the bereaved families," Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel said on Twitter.
Junagadh mayor Gitaben Parmar revealed that the corporation had issued notices to at least 38 such residential societies in Junagadh, urging them to evacuate due to their old and deteriorating state. Citing an example, she mentioned the Satyam society where the residents were asked to vacate and were provided shelter in a safe location by the corporation.
(With inputs from Bureau)