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Death toll climbs to 5 in South African temple building collapse
The illegal multistory expansion on a steep slope caused the collapse, killing five, with authorities opening an inquest and search teams recovering bodies over the weekend.
- On Monday, authorities said the death toll has risen to five after a multistory building being constructed on top of a Hindu temple collapsed Friday in Verulam, about 25 kilometers north of Durban, and investigators launched a probe.
- Regional officials said preliminary reports indicate the expansion lacked approved building plans and was illegal on the steep slope overlooking a ranch before Friday’s collapse.
- Municipal images showed twisted metal, collapsed pillars and mounds of rubble, and search and rescue teams remain on site to account for all present during the incident.
- Police in Verulam have opened an inquest into the collapse and said clearing the site will take a long time due to careful debris removal, while victims' names and trapped numbers remain undisclosed.
- The constitutional commission said the collapse traumatized worshippers and the larger community, noting Hinduism is practiced by less than 2% nationwide but is most common in KwaZulu-Natal, with Johannesburg opening the largest Hindu temple in February.
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Total News Sources11
Leaning Left5Leaning Right1Center4Last UpdatedBias Distribution50% Left
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources lean Left
50% Left
L 50%
C 40%
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