Seventeen persons were injured after a five-storey residential building collapsed in Maharashtra’s Raigad district on August 24, police said.
According to initial reports, at least 70 people are feared trapped in the debris. The building houses around 40 families. According to officials 25 people have been rescued so far.
The cause of the accident was not clear but building collapses are common during June-September monsoon, with rickety structures buckling under the weight of non-stop rain.
Here are the updates:
Estimates of missing people range from 51 to 200
Estimates of the number of missing people range from 51 to 200, according to various local officials.
Mahad legislator Bharat Gogawale told the local TV9 Marathi channel that early estimates seemed to suggest that “over 200 people are stuck inside”.
“Our primary goal is to rescue as many people as possible who are trapped under the debris,” Mr. Gogawale said.
An unnamed official with the Maharashtra state Disaster Management Unit later told PTI that 51 people were missing.
Some 70 people fled to safety when the building began to buckle, Nidhi Choudhari, an official in the district where Mahad is located, said. (AFP)
NDRF to begin work at midnight
NDRF teams on the way, are expected to begin work at the site by midnight. The green corridor has been given to them. - Alok Deshpande
One dead, seven injured among the rescued
Of the 15 rescued, seven are injured and admitted to hospital. One dead body of a man has been found. A green corridor has been provided for the NDRF teams to reach at the soonest. Police officers and staff from all the police stations in Mahad, Srivardhan and Mangaon have reached the spot.
Many rescued, shifted to hospital
The building, which was around 10 years old, collapsed at Kajalpura in Mahad tehsil around 7 p.m., an official said.
There were around 45 flats in the building, the official said, adding many persons have been rescued and shifted to a local hospital at Mahad, which is around 170 km from Mumbai.
A viral video of the collapse showed a plume of dust rising from where the building had stood.
Another video showed police trying to control several onlookers gathered at the collapse site.
HM Amit Shah asks NDRF to help rescue people trapped in Raigad building collapse
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday directed the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to provide all assistance in the rescue of those trapped following the collapse of a building at Raigad in Maharashtra.
Seventeen persons were injured after a five-storeyed residential building collapsed in Raigad district on Monday, police said.
Around 70 people are feared trapped in the debris after the building, which was around 10 years old, collapsed at Kajalpura in Mahad tehsil around 7 p.m., an official said.
“The collapse of a building in Raigad, Maharashtra is very tragic. Have spoken to DG @NDRFHQ to provide all possible assistance, teams are on the way and will be assisting with the rescue operations as soon as possible. Praying for everyone’s safety,” Union Home Minister Amit Shah tweeted .
'Some sensed that building was shaking'
The 10-year-old building collapsed at Kajalpura in Mahad tehsil around 7 p.m., an official said.
The 10-year-old building collapsed at Kajalpura in Mahad tehsil around 7 p.m., an official said.
Bharat Gogawale, MLA from Mahad, said, "The collapse happened with a huge noise. While most of them are stuck inside, some had managed to run away after they sensed that the building was shaking. Of the 15 rescued, only two were rescued from the rubble, the others had managed to come out themselves. The rescue operations need machinaries and more manpower. Till the time it reaches us, we are doing our best."
Information officer from Raigad said, "Prima facie, it is learnt that one Yunus Shaikh and Patel were the contractors of the building. Around 25 labourers, one gas cutter, genset, two JCBs, two dumpers, three ambulances along with doctors have reached from Mangaon."
NDRF teams were informed immediately, says Raigad Collector
Raigad Collector Nidhi Chaudhary told The Hindu, “NDRF teams were informed immediately after the incident was reported. Three teams are coming from Pune and hence, it will take some time... till then, the fire and local authorities are conducting the rescue operations. The building was just 10 years old, hence age of the building is not the reason behind the collapse. Construction quality could be the reason, and will have to be looked into.”
Uddhav Thackeray assures all help
Several onlookers gather at the Mahad building collapse site.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has assured the District Collector and local MLA that all possible support will be extended for speedy rescue and relief works.
Rescue operations deployed
Rescue teams and canine squads were deployed to the scene of the accident, a statement from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) said.
(With inputs from Agencies)
