A tragic building collapse in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, has resulted in the deaths of at least ten people and injuries to five others. The incident occurred on Saturday when a three-storey building, owned by Nafo Alauddin who operated a dairy from the premises, came crashing down amidst continuous rainfall.
The collapse, which happened around 5:15 pm, has claimed the lives of five minors—Simra (1.5 years old), Aliya (6), Reeza (7), Saqib (11), and Saniya (15)—and five adults, including Sajid (40), Naffo (63), Farhana (20), and Alisa (18). Sofiyan, a six-year-old, is reported to be in stable condition.
Emergency services, including teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), were swiftly deployed to the site. Senior officials, including Meerut zone Additional Director General of Police D.K. Thakur, Divisional Commissioner Selva Kumari J, Inspector General of Police Nachiketa Jha, and Senior Superintendent of Police Vipin Tada, arrived to oversee the rescue efforts.
District Magistrate Deepak Meena stated, “As reported by the family and relatives, 15 people were trapped in the debris. All 15 have been rescued; 10 have died and 5 are receiving treatment. The area has been sealed and debris is being cleared. Rescue operations will continue until we are certain no more lives are trapped.”
The building collapse adds to a series of similar incidents in Uttar Pradesh, with another three-storey building collapse in Lucknow last week that resulted in eight deaths and 28 injuries. In response to these incidents, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has instructed officials to expedite relief efforts.
The Chief Minister’s office has announced relief payments of ₹4 lakh each to the families of the deceased and compensation to those affected, including a total of ₹30 lakh for the loss of 30 animals. Additionally, 3,056 houses have been damaged by recent floods affecting 11 districts in the state.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also extended an ex-gratia payment of ₹2 lakh each to the families of those who died in the Lucknow incident and ₹50,000 for those injured.
As Meerut and surrounding areas continue to grapple with the aftermath of this devastating collapse, the focus remains on providing relief and ensuring the safety and stability of affected communities.
Sources by Agencies
