- The incident occurred after heavy rain, the facility official says.
- Operations temporarily suspended at the plant.
- Climate change increases extreme weather events in India: scientists
Nine workers died at a waste-to-energy plant in western India after a pile of garbage collapsed on an administrative building following heavy rain, the facility's operator said Monday.
Construction accidents are common during India's monsoon season, from June to September, with old, rickety structures buckling after prolonged rains.
The accident occurred last Wednesday at the Antony Waste plant, on the outskirts of Pune, when thousands of tons of waste from a nearby landfill gave way, trapping 23 people inside the building.
“The incident, caused by incessant rains that destabilized thousands of tons of waste from an adjacent landfill, seriously damaged the structure where 23 people were located,” the company said in a statement.
Nine people died and the other 14 were rescued alive.
Rescue efforts were hampered by rain as workers struggled to reach those buried under the rubble, according to plant officials.
Operations at the plant have been temporarily suspended pending structural and safety assessments.
Scientists say climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events in India, the world's most populous country.
The arrival this year of a potentially powerful weather system, El Niño, could also change normal weather patterns in the country, meteorologists say.
