8 dead in temple wall collapse in Andhra, CM Naidu announces Rs 25 lakh ex gratia

Visakhapatnam: Eighth people were killed when a rain-soaked wall collapsed at the Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple in Simhachalam, here, 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 Collector and SP and asked treatment be provided to the injured. "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 victims," said Naidu in a post on 'X'. According to government sources only one person sustained injuries apart from those killed. The Chief Minister, who reviewed the situation via teleconference, announced an ex gratia of Rs 25 lakh each to the kin of the deceased and Rs 3 lakh each to the injured, an official release said adding an outsourcing job in temples under the Endowments Department will be provided to a family member of each victim. He also ordered an inquiry into the incident by a three-member committee.

Reacting to the incident Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a post on X said “Deeply saddened by the loss of lives due to the collapse of a wall in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon.” PM Modi also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF to the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured. Telangana CM A Revanth Reddy also condoled the deaths. State Home Minister V Anitha said preliminary reports indicated that the wall collapse at the temple was triggered by soil loosening due to heavy rains in the area. The annual Chandanotsavam at Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple in Simhachalam witnessed both grandeur and grief on Wednesday, as thousands gathered to witness the Nijaroopa darshanam of the Lord.

The wall collapsed on the Rs 300 ticket queue line near the shopping complex on the ghat road from Simhagiri Bus Stand at around 3 am. Heavy overnight rains and strong winds are suspected to have loosened the soil, causing the structure to fall, Anitha told reporters. Anitha, 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 hospital,” she said, emphasizing that there was no negligence in the rescue response. An official from the temple said that the cause appears to be structural failure triggered by rains, but a detailed probe is underway. Endowments Minister Ramanarayana Reddy called the tragedy unfortunate and announced stronger safety protocols. Rescue operations are underway, with teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and state authorities pressed into service. According to State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel, eight devotees were trapped under the debris, and seven bodies—three women and four men—were extricated during the rescue operation. Former CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed shock and urged for best medical support to the injured and compensation to the victims' families. The injured have been shifted to a hospital, officials added. Earlier this year, six devotees waiting to collect tokens for Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam at Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple on Tirumala Hills, were killed in a stampede in Tirupati.