24th June, 2019
At least 14 people have been reportedly killed and more than 50 injured when heavy rain and strong winds caused a huge tent to collapse in the Indian state of Rajasthan on Sunday, the BBC reported.
It quoted Reuters as saying that some of the deaths resulted from electrocution by live wires as the tent caved in, and others killed by falling debris.
It was a religious event where about 300 people gathered inside the tent in the Barmer district of the north-western state of the country.
The injured were treated at a hospital in Barmer.
According to the BBC, the state’s disaster management and relief minister Bhanwar Lal Meghwal questioned why organisers had not switched off the power supply in view of the wet weather.
An investigation has been launched into the incident.
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the incident “unfortunate” in a tweet on Sunday, saying his thoughts were “with the bereaved families”.