8 killed as wall collapses at temple in Andhra Pradesh’s Simhachalam

At least eight people were killed and four others injured when a wall adjacent to a queue line collapsed on the devotees at the Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple at Simhachalam in Andhra Pradesh’s Visakhapatnam in the early hours of Wednesday, officials said.

The incident took place at around 2:30 am when devotees were waiting in line for ‘Nijaroopa’ darshan of the deity on the occasion of the annual Chandanotsavam festival.

Following the collapse, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), along with local officials, launched immediate rescue and relief operations.

‘Soil loosening due to heavy rains’

Soon after, state home minister Vangalapudi Anitha rushed to the spot of the incident. She told reporters that according to preliminary reports, the newly-built temple wall was soaked with water due to previous night’s heavy rainfall, adding that pressure from the devotees led to the wall’s collapse.

“They were standing in the queue line for special darshan after paying ₹300 per ticket. The wall is adjacent to a shopping complex on the way from Simhagiri Bus Stand—suddenly gave way and collapsed due to loosening of soil because of heavy rains in the area,” she said.