Seven Killed in Wall Collapse at Simhachalam Temple Amid Heavy Rains
In a tragic incident, seven devotees lost their lives and several others were injured when a wall collapsed at the Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple in Simhachalam, Andhra Pradesh, during the early hours of Wednesday. The collapse occurred following heavy overnight rains, which reportedly loosened the soil and triggered the structural failure.
The wall gave way on the Rs 300 ticket queue line near a shopping complex along the ghat road from Simhagiri Bus Stand, according to preliminary reports.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed deep grief over the incident. “Deeply saddened by the death of seven devotees at Simhachalam.... My condolences to the families. I'm closely monitoring the situation and have ordered continuous review and support for the victims,” he said in a post on X (formerly Twitter). He added that he had spoken to the District Collector and Superintendent of Police and confirmed that the injured were receiving treatment.
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy also extended condolences to the bereaved families.
State Home Minister V. Anitha, who was present at the temple during the time of the incident, said the collapse was likely caused by the weakening of the soil due to intense rainfall and strong winds. “We were all drenched in rain. As I came out of the temple, I was informed about the incident. The injured were rushed to the hospital immediately,” she said, affirming that there was no delay in the rescue operations.
A temple official stated that structural failure due to rain appears to be the cause, though a detailed investigation is underway.
Endowments Minister K. Ramanarayana Reddy termed the incident “unfortunate” and assured that stronger safety protocols will be implemented to prevent such tragedies in the future.
Rescue operations began swiftly, with teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) deployed at the site. SDRF officials confirmed that eight devotees were trapped under the debris, and seven—three women and four men—were found dead during the rescue effort.
Former Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed shock over the incident and urged authorities to provide top medical care for the injured and financial aid to the victims’ families.
Officials confirmed that the injured have been shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment.
This is the second major temple tragedy in the state this year. Earlier, six devotees died in a stampede at the Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple in Tirupati while waiting to collect tokens for the Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam.
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