In a tragic incident at the Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple in Simhachalam, Andhra Pradesh, eight devotees lost their lives and several others were injured when a rain-drenched wall collapsed in the early hours of Wednesday. The wall, located near the ₹300-ticket queue line close to the shopping complex on the ghat road from Simhagiri Bus Stand, gave way due to soil loosening caused by heavy overnight rains and strong winds.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed deep sorrow over the incident and said he was in constant touch with the District Collector and Superintendent of Police. “Deeply saddened by the death of seven devotees at Simhachalam… my condolences to the families. I’m closely monitoring the situation and have ordered continuous review and support for the victims,” Naidu posted on social media platform ‘X’. He announced an ex gratia of ₹25 lakh for the families of each deceased and ₹3 lakh for the injured.
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy also offered his condolences to the bereaved families. Andhra Pradesh Home Minister V. Anitha, who was present at the temple at the time of the incident, said the collapse was likely triggered by heavy rainfall weakening the soil. She assured that there was no delay in rescue efforts and that the injured were immediately rushed to the hospital.
Temple authorities and Endowments Minister K. Ramanarayana Reddy described the incident as a likely structural failure induced by weather conditions. Reddy called the incident unfortunate and emphasized the need for stronger safety protocols across temples to prevent such tragedies in the future.
Rescue operations are still underway, with teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) actively involved. Seven bodies—comprising three women and four men—were recovered during the operation, while one person remains unaccounted for.
Former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy also expressed shock and urged officials to ensure the best possible treatment for the injured and prompt compensation for the affected families.
This incident follows another temple-related tragedy earlier this year, when six devotees were killed in a stampede at the Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple in Tirumala Hills, Tirupati, highlighting ongoing concerns about crowd and structural safety at major religious sites.
