Mohali building collapse: Rescue operation underway

A rescue operation at the site where a four-storey building collapsed in Sohana village of Punjab's Mohali district continued on Sunday, officials said.

The multi-storey building collapsed on Saturday evening, with at least five people trapped in its rubble. A 20-year-old woman died in the incident on Saturday evening.

The woman hailing from Himachal Pradesh, died after she was pulled out of the debris of the building. She was rescued from the rubble in critical condition and was rushed to a hospital, but she succumbed to her injuries.

The rescue effort continued overnight.

A man hailing from Ambala Cantt told reporters at the site that his 29-year-old son, who used to visit a gym in the building, was missing.

Police have booked two building owners in the incident.

Several excavators were pressed into service as part of the rescue operation.

National Disaster Response Team (NDRF), Army, state rescue teams have been working since Saturday evening to address the crisis. Medical teams, along with an ambulance, have also been deployed at the site since Saturday evening.

As the operation continued at the site, required equipment and machinery have been made available to the rescuers, in addition to those brought by the NDRF and Army.

"IndianArmy reacted swiftly for the rescue. In a remarkable display of coordinated efforts, #IndianArmy Columns along with #NDRF and State rescue teams have been relentlessly working to address the crisis.

"Engineer Task Force with debris clearance machine & JCBs are operational at site. Top debris removed & efforts being done to reach the basement," Western Command, Indian Army, said in a post on X.

After the incident on Saturday, all major hospitals in Mohali such as Civil Hospital (attached within Medical College), Fortis, Max and Sohana, were put on alert to cater to the wounded.

Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav, who was at the spot on Saturday, had said a multi-agency rescue effort was underway.