Indian rescuers recovered eight bodies on Sunday from the debris of a three-storey building that collapsed in Lucknow, with the state’s chief minister, Yogi Adityanath, describing the deaths as “heartbreaking.”
The Press Trust of India (PTI) shared footage showing piles of concrete as state rescue teams, equipped with heavy machinery, combed through the rubble.
The building, used by various small businesses including a warehouse and vehicle workshop, collapsed on Saturday afternoon. According to officials, 28 people were injured, and the possibility of others still being trapped remains unclear.
While the cause of the collapse is yet to be determined, such incidents are frequent during India’s monsoon season, which spans from June to September, with aging structures often giving way under the relentless rain.
Akash Singh, an employee in the building, recalled noticing a crack in a pillar and moving to the ground floor, fearing the rains would worsen the damage. “Suddenly, the entire building collapsed on us,” he told PTI.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed his deep condolences to the families of the victims.
