Hindu Temple Collapse In South Africa Kills 4 Including Indian-Origin Man, Several Trapped
A multi-storey structure under construction above a Hindu temple in Verulam, South Africa, collapsed, claiming at least four lives, including that of a 52-year-old man of Indian descent. Multiple individuals remain buried beneath massive amounts of debris and concrete.
Local officials identified one of the victims as Vickey Jairaj Panday, who served as the temple trust executive and project manager. Panday had been supervising the construction project since its inception two years ago. Sanvir Maharaj, director of the temple-linked charity Food for Love, also confirmed his death.
The eThekwini Municipality revealed that the construction proceeded without approved building plans, suggesting the development was unauthorized. Authorities have not yet clarified whether those trapped include construction personnel, temple attendees, or a combination of both.
The precise count of workers and temple staff believed to be caught under the rubble remains undetermined.
In a comparable incident in Fez, Morocco, two neighboring four-storey residential buildings collapsed during the night in the crowded Al-Mustaqbal neighborhood, resulting in at least 22 fatalities. The state broadcaster noted that the structures had displayed visible cracking for an extended period, yet no preventive action was implemented.
Eight families were living in the buildings located in Al-Mustaqbal, a high-density residential area on the western side of the city.
(With inputs from Agencies)