Tragic House Collapse Claims Four Lives in Karnataka
Devastating Incident in Moratagi Village
A screengrab image of the accident site(Photo: X)
Vijayapura, May 15: A tragic incident occurred in Moratagi village, located in Alamel taluk of Karnataka’s Vijayapura district, where four family members lost their lives due to the collapse of their house during severe weather conditions, including heavy rain and strong winds, as reported by officials on Friday.
The victims have been identified as Gurunath Badiger (35), Jyoti Badiger (28), Kalamma Badiger (13), and Keerthi Badiger (9). They were residing in an old rented house while their own home was undergoing repairs.
Officials indicated that the structure fell apart after the region experienced intense rainfall and gusty winds overnight. The family became trapped beneath the rubble and were buried alive.
Authorities from the Sindagi police station arrived at the scene to conduct an investigation. Fire and emergency services were also deployed to initiate rescue operations aimed at recovering the bodies from the debris.
Rescue efforts proved to be difficult due to the mud roof of the house and the significant amount of soil that had accumulated on the victims following the collapse.
The incident has instilled fear within the village, with family members expressing their grief and sorrow at the site. Rescue teams and police continued their efforts to clear the debris and recover the bodies.
In a related incident, an eight-year-old girl named Akshata lost her life when a wall collapsed in Yadgir district due to heavy rains. This tragedy occurred in Tumakuru village, where the kitchen wall of a house owned by Siddappa fell after a downpour on Monday.
Akshata was playing with friends when the wall collapsed, resulting in her death on the spot. Two other children who were with her sustained injuries and were taken to the Yadgir Institute of Medical Sciences (YIMS) for treatment.
Earlier in April, heavy rainfall in Bengaluru led to the collapse of an 8-foot compound wall near Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital, claiming seven lives, including three children. This incident occurred during severe weather on April 29, trapping victims under debris and prompting immediate rescue operations.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah visited the site, ordered a thorough investigation into the incident, and announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for the families affected.
Additionally, separate rain-related incidents on April 27 resulted in at least two more fatalities in BTM Layout and Whitefield due to electrocution and wall failures.
On July 26, 2025, a wall collapse in Hanagallu, Somwarpet taluk, resulted in the death of a woman named Sushma, while her brother Akshay and three children sustained injuries.