At least 11 killed in Delhi building collapse
At least 11 people, including three children, were killed in New Delhi Saturday (April 19) after a residential building collapsed on the outskirts of the Indian capital, local reports and authorities said, WAM reports.
The incident happened in the early hours in the northeastern district of the city that mostly houses migrant workers, with rescue teams digging through the rubble throughout the day.
Eleven people were pronounced dead, NDTV channel reported, though 11 others were rescued and taken to hospital. Five were still undergoing treatment, the network said.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was "saddened by the loss of lives". "Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones," Modi's office posted on X. "May the injured recover soon."
President Droupadi Murmu, who lives in her official palace just 20km from the site, said that "the deaths of many people including women and children is very sad".
The cause of the collapse was not immediately known.
Delhi minister Kapil Mishra blamed corruption in the municipal government, run by a rival political party, for such building collapses, saying on X: "Construction of such illegal buildings is going on in full swing."
"Survey of all these illegal buildings is necessary, strict action is required against them," he added.
Local media reports said that the four-storey building "came crashing down like a stack of cards".
Building collapses are frequent in India, and illegal structures -- often home to migrant workers -- are common in big cities.
Eleven people, including three children, were killed when a four-storey residential building collapsed in Dayalpur, in Mustafabad area of Northeast Delhi, in the early hours of Saturday.
While 11 more people were trapped under the debris, they were rescued by late afternoon.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) said the building was around 20 years old and was an unauthorised construction.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences to those who lost their loved ones.
President Droupadi Murmu also expressed her condolences to all the affected families.
Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra visited the site in the afternoon. “All these colonies are unauthorised. We will act against the MCD officials who cleared these houses,” Mishra said.
Earlier it was reported that the death toll hit 148 from a boat accident in the Democratic Republic of Congo earlier this week.
