A two-story house collapsed on Wednesday in the Varanasi District of India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh, killing two people and leaving many others seriously injured.
Locals of Beni Village, where the incident took place, say the building was very old and under renovation.
Moments after the collapse, the locals started searching for the inhabitants and laborers buried under the debris, and managed to rescue the family living on the first floor.
[Abdul Samad Ansari, District Councillor]:
"The house was under repair. I live in the neighborhood. I came to know that the laborers who were working inside the house…they were giving support and during the renovation the ground floor collapsed. This resulted in the crumbling of the first floor. People living in the house and some laborers got trapped.”
Police confirm that two people were killed but are unable to tell the exact number injured, as others may still be trapped underneath the debris.
The deceased have been identified as laborers engaged in the renovation of the house.
Rescue operations continue.