Indian-Origin Man Among 4 Killed in South Africa Temple Collapse: Rescue Operations Ongoing

The exact number of individuals trapped beneath the rubble remains undetermined after a Hindu temple under construction collapsed.

A 52-year-old man of Indian origin has been identified among the four fatalities resulting from the collapse of a four-storey Hindu temple under construction in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province, according to official reports.

The New Ahobilam Temple of Protection, located on a steep hillside in Redcliffe north of eThekwini (formerly known as Durban), was undergoing expansion when a portion of the structure gave way on Friday while workers were present on site.

Authorities have not confirmed the precise number of workers and temple officials believed to be trapped under the massive debris.

Initially, two individuals—a construction worker and a devotee—were confirmed deceased on Friday. The death toll subsequently increased to four by Saturday as rescue teams recovered additional bodies from the site.

Among the deceased was Vickey Jairaj Panday, identified as an executive member of the temple trust and manager of the construction project, according to local media reports citing official sources.

Reports indicate that Panday had been extensively involved in the temple's development since its inception approximately two years ago.

Sanvir Maharaj, director of Food for Love, a charitable organization affiliated with the temple, confirmed that Panday was among those who had perished in the incident.

Rescue personnel, who had spent two days attempting to recover a fifth body that had been located, were forced to suspend operations on Saturday afternoon due to adverse weather conditions, according to Reaction Unit South Africa spokesperson Prem Balram in statements to local media.

"Currently, we cannot confirm whether additional individuals remain trapped beneath the debris," he stated.

The temple was reportedly designed to resemble a cave, utilizing rocks imported from India as well as those excavated on site. The family overseeing the construction had claimed that it would house one of the world's largest deities of Lord Nrsimhadeva.

In an official statement, the eThekwini municipality revealed that no building plans had received approval for the project, suggesting the construction was conducted illegally.

Initial rescue efforts were guided by mobile phone calls from one of the trapped individuals, but communication ceased late Friday evening, officials reported.

KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Thulasizwe Buthelezi, visited the collapse site on Saturday and pledged that rescue operations would continue for as long as necessary, despite experts noting minimal hope of finding additional survivors.

Buthelezi expressed appreciation for the combined government and private teams involved in the search and rescue operation, including a specialized dog unit deployed from the Western Cape.