NDRF teams engaged in rescue operations on Wednesday morning. The police and NDRF personnel toiled throughout the night to search for bodies of victims. (Express Photo by Gajendra Yadav)
Toll in the Greater Noida buildings collapse has reached nine even as rescue efforts continued for the second day on Thursday. An under-construction building in Greater Noida’s Shah Beri village had collapsed on an already constructed building on Tuesday evening.
At least 12 labourers were in the under-construction building when the incident took place and all of them were feared trapped, Chief Fire Officer (CFO) Arun Kumar Singh was quoted as saying by PTI.
Taking cognizance of the incident, UP CM Yogi Adityanath asked the district administration (Gautam Buddha Nagar) on Tuesday night to take the support of the NDRF team in the rescue effort. The CM also directed the officials to provide all the medical facilities and assistance to the injured.
Several other persons are still feared to be trapped under the rubble and are yet to be located. NDRF and local police are engaged in the relief and rescue efforts. (Express photo by Gajendra Yadav)
NDRF teams recovered six more bodies by Wednesday from the rubble of the buildings, summing up to eight bodies. The ninth body was retrieved on early Thursday morning. He was identified as 27-year-old Naushad.
Family members of the people who lived in the collapsed building in Greater noida Shah Beri village. (Express Photo by Gajendra Yadav)
The NDRF has deployed nearly 160 personnel, dog squad and specialised equipment to find survivors. Officials of the eighth battalion of NDRF said that they expect the rescue work to continue till Thursday evening.
Those involved in the rescue operations were facing difficulties because of the narrow lanes in the area and a huge crowd that had gathered there, an official was quoted as saying by PTI. (Express Photo by Gajendra Yadav)
Rescuers have deployed heavy machinery to shift concrete slabs and sniffer dogs tried to detect any signs of life. Those involved in the rescue operations were facing difficulties because of the narrow lanes in the area and the huge crowd. Drills were being used in an attempt to reach those who may be trapped under the debris.
Residents of the Shahberi village in Greater Noida thought that an earthquake had shaken the ground when two buildings collapsed Tuesday evening. “We were having food when the earth shook as if due to a quake. We ran out, but we realised that a building had collapsed. When we rushed for help, we got to know that two buildings had collapsed,” Narendra Dubey, a resident, told IANS.
At least 12 labourers were in the under-construction building when the incident took place and all of them were feared trapped, Chief Fire Officer (CFO) Arun Kumar Singh was quoted as saying by PTI. (Express Photo by Gajendra Yadav)
In a press release, CM Adityanath has announced Rs. 2 lakh compensation to the families of deceased and Rs. 50,000 to the injured.
An FIR under IPC sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 288 (negligent conduct with respect to pulling down or repairing buildings), 388 (extortion by threat of accusation of an offence punishable with death or imprisonment for life) and 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees) were lodged at the Bisrakh police station against 18 persons in connection with the incident, said Inspector General of Police, Meerut Zone, Ram Kumar was quoted as saying by PTI.
He added that the owner of the land, Gangashankar Dwivedi, and two others Dinesh and Sanjay were also arrested.
Sniffer dogs were used during the rescue operations to trace the bodies buried under the debris. (Express photo by Gajendra Yadav)