Flyover collapse: Chances of finding survivors remote, says NDRF

With relief and rescue operations in full swing in Kolkata's Girish Park where a flyover collapsed yesterday, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) on Friday said that the chances of finding any survivors is remote.

"The operations continued throughout the night. As many as10 NDRF teams are working there... Possibility of finding anyone alive is very very remote," Director General of NDRF, O.P. Singh told ANI.

Meanwhile, NDRF DIG, S.S. Guleria said that the operation is in its last phase, adding that their first priority is to ensure ensured that there are no dead bodies trapped under the debris.

"Some debris being removed and it is being insured that there are no dead bodies under the debris...Now the operation is only for the recovery of dead bodies and removal of debris...As per the reports available here, 23 persons are dead so far," he said.

The death toll in yesterday's flyover collapse tragedy that took place in North Kolkata's Girish Park area has risen to 23.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had last evening confirmed that 21 had died and 85 others injured in the mishap.

The rescue work has been going on war footing. The military and NDRF teams are using heavy earth movers and gas cutting paraphernalia to complete the operation as soon as possible but several more hours will be needed to clear the debris.

The state government has announced an ex-gratia compensation of Rs. five lakh to next of kin of the victims and Rs. two lakh to gravely injured people.