Several people are feared trapped under the debris of a 2.5 lakh water tank which collapsed in a residential colony in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh on Sunday evening, killing 2 people and leaving 12 others injured.

Mathura Water Tank Collapse: Two people were killed and a dozen others sustained serious injuries after a water tank located in a residential colony collapsed in Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh on Sunday. The death toll in the fatal mishap is likely to surge as several people, including children, are feared trapped under the debris and efforts are underway to rescue them.

Officials said the incident took place at around 6 PM in Krishna Vihar Colony, developed by the Uttar Pradesh Awas Vikas Parishad, when the massive 2.5 lakh litre tank, used for storing water which is then supplied to the households in the colony, collapsed trapping dozens of people underneath the rubble.

Water tank (constructed in 2021) collapsed in Mathura.
Many people are feared to be trapped underneath.💔 pic.twitter.com/M65NEno9PM

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While two people have been confirmed dead and 12 others injured in the incident, the casualties are likely to rise as many people, including children, got buried under the debris.

Mathura District Magistrate Shailendra Kumar Singh said the injured were taken to the district hospital for treatment.

Apart from the fire service and police personnel, teams of revenue, municipal corporation, and health department are engaged in the rescue work, the DM said, adding that teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have also been called.

Additional District Magistrate (Finance and Revenue) Yogendra Pandey confirmed that two persons have died, but could not provide the details of the dead.

He said that the work of removing the debris is still going on and several people are still trapped under it.

Two people have died and a dozen have been admitted to the hospital, Pandey added.

Dr Bhudev Prasad, in-charge of the Rapid Response Team of the Health Department, said that initially four injured were rescued from the debris, but now this number has reached a dozen. It is likely that more people are still trapped in the debris, he added.

The DM said the construction of the water tank was completed in 2021 and its collapse in just three years will be investigated.

He also said the tank was built by the Jal Nigam at a cost of Rs 6 crore under the Gangajal Drinking Water Project.

CM announces aid, orders probe

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed his anguish over the incident and ordered a magisterial probe into the incident which will be headed by the District Magistrate.

The chief minister also announced an immediate financial assistance of Rs 2 lakhs to the families of the deceased Rs 50,000 to the injured. CM Adityanath also instructed officials to ensure proper medical treatment is provided to the injured.

(With PTI inputs)