Visakhapatnam/Amaravati: The death toll in the tragic collapse of a temporary structure at the Sri Varahalakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple in Visakhapatnam has risen to eight, with four others injured. The incident occurred around 2:30 AM on Wednesday during the Chandanotsavam festival, reportedly amid heavy rain.
Vinay Chan, Principal Secretary of the Endowments Department, speaking from Tirupati, stated that it was too early to determine the exact cause of the collapse. “Prima facie, we noticed there was a downpour between 2:30 and 3:30 AM. A detailed investigation is underway,” he said. He added that all debris has been cleared and rescue operations have concluded.
Search and rescue efforts were led by teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and assured that the situation is being closely monitored. In a post on X, he said, “The death of seven devotees in a wall collapse during the Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Chandanotsavam has deeply saddened me. The incident, caused by heavy rains, is truly unfortunate. I have instructed officials to ensure the injured receive proper medical care.”
Former Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party President Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy also expressed grief, calling the incident heartbreaking. He urged the government to provide the best possible treatment to the injured and full support to the families of the deceased.
BJP leader and former MLC Madhav termed the incident “unfortunate”, especially as it occurred on the auspicious occasion of Akshaya Tritiya. He stated that the government would investigate the cause and ensure compensation for the victims’ families.
