Mangaluru: Three persons, including two young girls, lost their lives after a compound wall collapsed onto a row of rented houses following heavy rainfall at Garodi in the Kankanady police station limits during the early hours of Tuesday, July 1.
The tragic incident occurred between 4.45 am and 5.00 am at Marial House in Garodi, where a compound wall gave way following incessant rainfall, crashing onto houses situated below it. The collapse caused extensive damage to the rear portions of four rented houses, leaving two families directly affected.
Heavy rain triggers wall collapse
According to officials, four families were residing in rented houses located immediately below the compound wall. Continuous rainfall is believed to have weakened the structure, leading to its sudden collapse in the early hours when the residents were asleep.
The rear walls of all four houses were damaged, while two families bore the brunt of the impact. Rescue teams rushed to the spot after receiving information about the incident and began clearing the debris to locate those trapped beneath the rubble.
Two sisters among the deceased
One of the affected families was that of Lalbabu, a native of Bihar, who had been living at the rented house for the past eight years along with his wife Indu and their four daughters—Alka (14), Anusha (11), Anamika Chaurasia (8), and Pari (4).
Lalbabu, Indu, Alka and Anusha were rescued safely from the damaged house. However, Anamika Chaurasia and her younger sister Pari were trapped beneath the debris. Rescue personnel pulled the two girls out unconscious and shifted them to Father Muller Hospital, where doctors declared them dead.
The death of the two sisters has left the neighbourhood in shock.
Woman succumbs to injuries
The second family directly affected by the collapse was that of Balakrishna (48), also originally from Bihar. He has been residing behind the Kankanady Police Station in Kankanady village for the past 20 years.
Balakrishna was rescued safely from the damaged house. His wife, Shanta (46), was found trapped under the debris in an unconscious condition. She was immediately shifted to Father Muller Hospital for treatment but later succumbed to her injuries.
With the deaths of Shanta, Anamika Chaurasia and Pari, the toll in the incident rose to three.
Rescue operation launched immediately
Personnel from the Fire and Emergency Services, Kankanady Police and local residents jointly carried out the rescue operation. Teams worked through the debris to ensure that no other occupants remained trapped inside the damaged houses.
The injured and rescued residents were provided immediate assistance, while the affected families were shifted to safety.
Authorities are also assessing the structural safety of nearby buildings in view of the continuing heavy rainfall.
Police begin investigation
Kankanady Police have registered a case and initiated an investigation into the circumstances that led to the compound wall collapse.
Officials are expected to examine whether the wall had weakened due to prolonged rainfall or if structural deficiencies contributed to the incident. The incident has once again highlighted the risks posed by ageing structures and retaining walls during the monsoon season, particularly in densely populated residential areas.
Authorities have urged property owners to inspect compound walls, retaining walls and other vulnerable structures to prevent similar tragedies during periods of heavy rain.
Conclusion
The heartbreaking deaths of two young sisters and a woman have cast a shadow over Mangaluru as the city continues to experience heavy monsoon rains. The investigation is expected to determine the exact cause of the collapse, while authorities continue to monitor vulnerable structures to prevent further incidents.