Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has pledged financial assistance to the families affected by the building collapse in Kotma. The aid comprises Rs four lakh from the CM’s Discretionary Fund, Rs four lakh under the Sambal Scheme, and Rs one lakh from the Red Cross. Injured survivors are set to receive Rs two lakh from the discretionary fund and Rs 50,000 from the Red Cross.
“The state government expresses solidarity with the impacted families, offering prayers for the deceased and a swift recovery for the injured,” stated the Chief Minister. Minister Dilip Ahirwar, in collaboration with District Magistrate Harshal Pancholi and Superintendent of Police Moti-ur-Rehman, is overseeing the rescue operations on-site.
Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and local authorities are actively engaged in the ongoing rescue operations at the crowded bus stand area in Kotma. Panic still grips the residents and passengers in the vicinity.
Kotma town in Anuppur district was struck by tragedy when a four-storey building, known as Agarwal Lodge, collapsed near the bus stand. The incident, occurring between 5.30 and 5.50 p.m., caused shockwaves in the area with witnesses recounting a loud explosion-like noise followed by dust engulfing the surroundings.
Rescue teams have been working tirelessly with cranes and heavy machinery through the night to extricate individuals trapped beneath the debris. By Sunday morning, the death toll had reached three, with the recovery of a woman’s body around 11 a.m. The identity of the deceased is yet to be confirmed.
