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Kolkata flyover collapse toll rises to 22, rescue operation continues

by IBNS 01 Apr 2016, 05:54 am

Kolkata, Apr 1 (IBNS) The death toll in the under-construction flyover collapse in Kolkata's Girish park area touched 22 on Friday even as rescue operations continued to extricate more bodies or victims feared trapped under its rubble, officials said.

Police officials said that while 20 people were identified, two remained unclaimed. More than 80 were injured and admitted in various hospitals.

Rescue operation is currently underway in full swing as rescuers searched for survivors, said officials

The mishap occurred at around 12.30 pm. on Thursday, as a large chunk of the under constructed flyover collapsed suddenly.

A close circuit camera footage showed people, cars, buses, auto rickshaws and hawkers being crushed when the flyover collapsed on them.

Locals rushed to help and rescue people who were trapped under the debris.

K Panduranga Rao of the Hyderabad-based IVRCL, the company which was building the flyover, termed the incident as "an 'act of God', triggering widespread outrage.

Several people have been pulled out from the rubble while the injured were undergoing treatment in  hospitals. 
 
National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has been engaged in rescue operations as workers struggled to remove the debris of concrete and metal.