Eight dead, several injured as temple wall collapses in Andhra Pradesh
Eight people were killed and several others injured when a rain-soaked wall collapsed at the Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple in Simhachalam in the early hours of Wednesday, the government said.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed deep sorrow and said he had spoken to the District Collector and Superintendent of Police. He confirmed that the injured were receiving treatment.
“Deeply saddened by the death of seven devotees at Simhachalam… my condolences to the families. I’m closely monitoring the situation and have ordered continuous review and support for the victims,” Naidu said in a post on 'X'.
Naidu also announced an ex gratia of ₹25 lakh to the kin of the deceased and ₹3 lakh to those injured.
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy also offered condolences over the deaths.
State Home Minister V. Anitha said preliminary reports indicated that the wall collapse was triggered by soil loosening due to heavy rain in the area.
The wall collapsed on the ₹300-ticket queue line near the shopping complex on the ghat road from Simhagiri Bus Stand. Heavy overnight rain and strong winds are suspected to have loosened the soil, causing the structure to fall, Anitha told reporters.
Anitha, who was present at the temple during the incident, visited the site immediately.
“We were all drenched in rain. As I came out of the temple, I was informed about the incident. The injured were rushed to the hospital,” she said, emphasizing that there was no delay or negligence in the rescue efforts.
A temple official said the collapse appeared to be a structural failure triggered by rain, though a detailed probe is underway.
Endowments Minister K. Ramanarayana Reddy called the incident unfortunate and said stronger safety protocols would be introduced at temples.
Rescue operations are ongoing, with teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and state authorities deployed at the site.
According to personnel from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), eight devotees were trapped under the debris. Seven bodies—three women and four men—were recovered during the rescue operation.
Former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed shock and urged authorities to provide the best possible medical support to the injured and compensation for the victims' families.
The injured have been shifted to hospital, officials confirmed.
Earlier this year, six devotees were killed in a stampede while waiting to collect tokens for Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam at the Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple in Tirumala Hills, Tirupati.
(with ANI, PTI inputs)