Prime Minister Modi expresses sorrow over tragic wall collapse in Visakhapatnam

In a tragic incident in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, a wall collapse during the Chandanotsavam festival resulted in the death of eight people and injuries to four others. The incident occurred around 2:30 am on Tuesday, when a makeshift wall, approximately 20 feet long, fell on a queue of devotees at the Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow over the incident, offering condolences to the bereaved families and announcing ex gratia assistance from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF). Modi stated that the next of kin of each deceased would receive 2 lakh rupees, while the injured would receive 50,000 rupees. The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, also expressed his sadness over the tragedy, attributing it partly to heavy rains. Search and rescue operations were conducted immediately, with teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) deployed to assist. The aftermath of the incident saw the complete clearing of debris and conclusion of rescue operations. Prime Minister Modi conveyed his grief through a post on X, underscoring the loss suffered by the families and emphasizing the government's response to assist those affected. Statements from the Chief Minister indicated that he was actively monitoring the situation to ensure proper medical care and support for those injured. The events leading to the wall collapse highlight the critical nature of safety measures during large gatherings, especially in the context of religious festivals, where significant crowds can lead to hazardous situations. Investigations are ongoing to establish the causes of the collapse, and officials are urged to provide thorough crowd control measures in future events to prevent such tragedies from occurring again.