31.03.2023
At least 35 people have died after the floor of a temple in the Indian city of Indore collapsed, according to officials. Search and rescue is still ongoing.
(Deutsche Welle Chinese website) The death toll has risen to 35 after the floor of a temple in the central Indian city of Indore collapsed, and rescue operations are continuing.
The accident happened on Thursday when devotees gathered at a Hindu temple in Madhya Pradesh to celebrate the Ram Navami festival, local media reported.
Ram Navami is a traditional Hindu festival celebrating the birth of the Lord God, Rama. The festival is usually celebrated on the ninth day after the vernal equinox in the Hindu calendar, and the festivities last about ten days. During the festival, devotees visit temples, decorate houses and public places, hold processions and religious ceremonies.
The floor of the temple collapsed during the festival, causing more than 30 people to fall into an old well below.
“We have rescued 18 people, 35 were killed and 16 were injured,” a senior local government official told Reuters.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences to the families of the victims and announced assistance of 200,000 rupees (approximately 2,230 euros) to the survivors of each deceased. The injured will receive 50,000 rupees (about 558 euros) in aid, the prime minister’s office said in a statement posted on Twitter.
(AFP, DPA, Reuters)
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