New Delhi - At least 16 bodies have been recovered from the
debris of a flyover that collapsed in the Indian temple town of
Varanasi on Tuesday.
Several people were feared trapped, and the death toll could rise,
Varanasi district magistrate YN Mishra said. Four people had been
rescued so far, Mishra added.
The flyover was under construction and part of it collapsed during
busy evening traffic, with big slabs of concrete crushing the
vehicles travelling on the road below, an official at the Varanasi
police control room said.
Six teams belonging to the National Disaster Response Force were at
the site helping with rescue operations, local police officer Dinesh
Singh said.
"Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to the collapse of an
under-construction flyover in Varanasi. I pray that the injured
recover soon," Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on Twitter.
READ: Five students dead, 12 missing after bridge collapses in Pakistan
Modi represents Varanasi parliamentary constituency.
Collapses of under construction structures are not uncommon in India.
Twenty-seven people died in a similar collapse of a flyover being
built in Kolkata in April 2016.
Across the country, 1,885 people died in building, bridge and other
structural collapses in 2016, according to the latest-available
government data.