In a tragic incident during the Chandanotsavam festival at the Sri Varahalakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, a 20-foot-long makeshift wall collapsed, claiming the lives of at least eight devotees and injuring four others. The collapse occurred in the early hours of the day, reportedly due to heavy rainfall between 2.30 am and 3.30 am.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep grief over the loss of lives and announced financial assistance for the victims’ families. In a post on X, he stated, “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. An ex gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000: PM @narendramodi.”

Vinay Chan, Principal Secretary of the Endowment Department, addressed the media in Tirupati, noting that investigations into the cause are still ongoing. “So it is not appropriate for us to conclude on the reasons for the incident. Prima facie, we have noticed that there was a downpour between 2.30 and 3.30 am in the early hours. We are investigating the incident... Currently, we have information that about eight people have died. All the debris has been cleared... Rescue work has been concluded,” he said.

Rescue operations were promptly carried out by personnel from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and continuous monitoring of the situation is underway.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu also conveyed his condolences through X, writing, “The death of seven devotees in a wall collapse during the Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Chandanotsavam has deeply saddened me. The incident, caused by heavy rains, is truly unfortunate. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their lives. I have spoken to the District Collector and SP regarding the situation and instructed that proper medical care be provided to the injured. I am continuously monitoring the situation.”