2 children among 7 dead as wall collapses in Delhi amid heavy rain overnight

At least seven people, including two children, died on Saturday after a wall collapsed near an old temple in Hari Nagar, Jaitpur, following heavy overnight rain that lashed the national capital, the Delhi police confirmed.

The police explained that the incident occurred near an old temple where several scrap dealers lived in adjacent jhuggies (a type of slum dwelling).

The wall had been weakened by incessant rain, which led to its sudden collapse, trapping at least seven of the ragpickers. Although all of them were rescued and rushed to the hospital, many of them were in a critical condition, and later succumbed to their injuries.

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"Seven people have died in the wall collapse incident in Harinagar, Jaitpur, including 3 men, 2 women and 2 girls," the Delhi police said.

The victims were originally from the Bardhaman district of West Bengal, some of whom had built huts near the wall. Following the collapse of the wall, its debris fell on these huts, a Jagran report said.

While initial reports suggested the collapse of a "portion of a building", authorities later clarified that it was a wall adjacent to the temple that had collapsed in the early hours of Saturday.

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After two fire tenders were rushed to the area, authorities have since evacuated the remaining jhuggies in the vicinity as a safety measure, with more rain set to lash the national capital over the coming days. Warnings have also been issued to people living in low-lying and structurally unsafe areas.

This comes amid an Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) red alert advisory issued for Saturday, which predicted thunderstorms with rain. According to the police, traffic congestion has also been reported in several areas in the capital, including New Rohtak Road, Zakhira Railway Underpass, GTK Depot, Jahangirpuri, and Adarsh Nagar. 

India