Vaiko seeks probe into Chennai building collapse

Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam(MDMK) chief, Vaiko on Sunday described the building collapse in the city as a terrible tragedy and sought for a probe.

"It is a terrible tragedy, unprecedented in Tamil Nadu. The eleven storey building crumbled, because of the lightning and of the thunderbolt the building collapsed. A probe must be conducted to find out if guidelines were followed and the guilty should be punished. In this marshy ground, if proper foundation was not laid, so many buildings are facing danger like this ," Vaiko said.

"The engineers have stated that the materials used were substandard," he added.

The death toll in the building collapse in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, has risen to ten. At least 23 persons have also been injured in the mishap that took place on Saturday in the suburban area of Porur.

According to reports, rescue work is on to extricate those still trapped under the debris of the under construction building.

Chennai Police have detained two directors of the construction company.

Some reports are saying that nine people have died and 25 are still feared trapped under the debris of the 11-storey building.

So far, 27 people have been rescued and the injured are undergoing medical treatment.

Rescue operations are on in full swing with multiple agencies, including the National Disaster Response Force, engaged in the exercise. Gas cutters, iron rods and shovels are being used to reach those trapped in the rubble.

The incident occurred around 6 p.m. last evening when the structure collapsed at Moulivakkam, nearly 20 kilometres from Chennai. It was raining heavily at the time.

Most of the people who were trapped under the debris are reportedly construction workers from Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has ordered top civil and police officials to take immediate action.

The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority has said that a formal report would be submitted on Sunday to the state government.