Houses Collapse in Varanasi Near Kashi Vishwanath Temple, 1 Dead

On Tuesday morning, two old houses located in Khoya Gali, near the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi, collapsed, resulting in one fatality and several injuries. The houses, which were reportedly over 70 years old, were home to multiple occupants at the time of the incident. One house belonged to Mr. Gupta, where nine people were present, while the other belonged to Mr. Yadav, whose occupants managed to escape without serious harm. Rescue operations were promptly initiated, with officials working to extract individuals trapped under the debris. Seven people from Mr. Gupta's house were rescued, but unfortunately, one woman succumbed to her injuries. Among the injured was a police constable who sustained a jaw injury during the rescue efforts. The Varanasi divisional commissioner, Kaushal Raj Sharma, confirmed that the rescue operation has concluded, and efforts are now focused on clearing the debris and restoring essential services such as water and electricity to the affected area. The incident has raised concerns about the structural integrity of older buildings in the vicinity, especially given their age and condition. Authorities are likely to conduct further investigations to determine the cause of the collapse and assess the safety of surrounding structures. This tragic event highlights the need for regular inspections and maintenance of older buildings to prevent similar incidents in the future.