A 17-year-old Class XII student was killed and her mother injured after a house wall collapsed during heavy rain at Mettamalai near Sattur in Virudhunagar district on Thursday night, according to police sources cited by Times of India – Chennai.
The victim, identified as Muthuselvi, was studying at the Government Higher Secondary School in Chinnakamanpatti and lived with her family in Mettamalai. The incident occurred at around 11pm while the family was asleep.
Several parts of Virudhunagar district reportedly received heavy rainfall on Thursday. Sattur and nearby areas experienced intense rain for more than two hours that evening, according to the report. A wall in the middle portion of the family’s house suddenly collapsed, trapping Muthuselvi under the debris.
Neighbours rushed to the house after the collapse and helped move Muthuselvi and her mother, Solaiammal, to the Government Hospital in Sattur. Muthuselvi suffered severe injuries in the incident, while Solaiammal sustained a fracture in her leg.
Muthuselvi died on Friday morning despite treatment at the hospital. Her mother remains under treatment, the report said.
The incident has brought renewed attention to the risks faced by families living in buildings whose walls may weaken during periods of intense rainfall. The report attributed the collapse to heavy rain, but did not provide details about the age, construction quality or structural condition of the house.
Sattur Town police have registered a case and are investigating the circumstances of the collapse. Further details about the investigation and any assessment of the damaged house were not available in the supplied report.
