Three people died and several are feared trapped after a residential building collapsed in Lucknow's Wazir Hasanganj Road on Tuesday, ANI reported. Local residents said that the building collapsed shortly after tremors were felt in Lucknow following an earthquake in Nepal.
"The building collapsed suddenly. Three dead bodies have been found and sent to the hospital. NDRF, fire brigade personnel are present at the spot. Rescue operation is underway," ANI quoted Uttar Pradesh deputy CM Brajesh Pathak as saying.
The Uttar Pradesh DGP said 30-35 people were trapped inside the building. "Condition points to a natural disaster. Eight families were inside when building collapsed. As per our estimate, 30-35 people should be (trapped). CM is monitoring the situation," he said.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took cognizance of the incident and instructed to send SDRF and NDRF teams on the spot, an official statement said. Adityanath directed the officials of the district administration to take the injured to the hospital immediately for their proper treatment.
"The CM also wished for the speedy recovery of the injured. Along with this, along with the District Magistrate and senior police officers, SDRF, and NDRF teams have been instructed to go on the spot and get relief work done. Many hospitals were instructed to remain alert," the statement said.
Asked if the building collapse in Lucknow was due to an earthquake earlier in the day, Lucknow District Magistrate Suryapal Gangwar told PTI, "Nothing can be said now."
READ | 5.8 Magnitude Earthquake Shakes Delhi-NCR, Epicentre In Nepal
Earlier in the day, a 5.9-magnitude earthquake jolted western Nepal, killing one person and damaging dozens of houses in the region. Around three dozen houses were damaged in the quake that struck the remote mountainous region of Bajura district, a police officer said.
Tremors were felt in the northwestern region of India, including Delhi and Jaipur. There were reports of shaking furniture, ceiling fans and wall frames came from Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi and Rajasthan.
(With inputs from agencies, PTI)