The death toll from the collapse of a three-storey house in Zakir Nagar has risen to 10 on Sunday (September 15), according to the district administration. Rescue operations are still ongoing as emergency teams work to clear the debris and locate any remaining survivors.
District Magistrate Deepak Meena announced that the process to provide financial aid is underway, including Rs 4 lakh for each deceased victim from the natural calamity fund and Rs 1.20 lakh for the total loss of the house. Additional assistance will be provided for the loss of animals in the incident.
Among the casualties, authorities have identified the deceased as Naffo alias Nafias (65), her son Sajid (40), his wife Saima (35), and their children Sania (15), Saqib (12), along with Farhana (27), Alisa (25), Ria (10), Himsa (6 months), and Saifiyan (7). Five survivors—Samrin (4), Naeem (22), Nadeem (26), Saqib (20), and Aliya (8)—are currently receiving medical treatment.
The tragic collapse, which occurred on Saturday afternoon, initially trapped 15 people beneath the rubble. Authorities confirmed that three managed to escape as the structure gave way, but 10 were unable to be saved. The bodies of the deceased have been sent for post-mortem examination at a local medical college.
Senior officials, including Meerut Zone Additional Director General of Police D K Thakur, Divisional Commissioner Selva Kumari J, and Senior Superintendent of Police Vipin Tada, are overseeing the ongoing rescue efforts led by teams from the NDRF, fire brigade, and police.
Political reactions poured in, with the Samajwadi Party expressing condolences and demanding appropriate compensation for the victims’ families. “Very sad! May God give peace to the departed souls. The government should give proper compensation to the victim families,” the party stated on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
The Uttar Pradesh Congress unit also conveyed grief over the incident and called for both adequate compensation and free medical treatment for the injured.
(With inputs from PTI)