The death toll from the floor collapse of a Hindu temple in India rose to 35 on Friday, but rescue operations are still ongoing, a local official told AFP.
Dozens of worshipers fell Thursday into a bâoli, a well lined with stairs used for religious rituals, when the floor of the temple, which covered it, gave way under their weight.
The accident happened in the city of Indore, in the central state of Madhya Pradesh.
“Thirty-five people died. One person is still missing. Relief operations are continuing,” Indore District Magistrate Ilayaraja T told AFP.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday he was “extremely saddened” by the tragedy.
“The government is carrying out rescue and relief operations at a steady pace,” he added. “My prayers go out to everyone affected and their families.”
Relatives of the victims will receive 200,000 rupees (2,230 euros) in compensation, Mr Modi’s office said.
An investigation has been opened into the accident, Narottam Mishra, interior minister of the state of Madhya Pradesh, confirmed to the press.
Police official Manish Kapooriya told AFP that rescue operations were continuing as the survivors were taken to hospital.
Television footage showed rescuers setting up ropes and ladders to reach people trapped in the well.
Temples across India were overflowing with devotees on the Ram Navami festival, celebrating the birthday of the Hindu deity Rama.
In India, fatal accidents are frequent in places of worship during religious festivals.
In 2016, at least 112 people died when a fireworks warehouse explosion sparked a massive fire near a Hindu temple in the state of Kerala.
Three years earlier, 115 Hindu worshipers died following a mob on a bridge near a temple in the state of Madhya Pradesh. The stampede had occurred after a rumor the bridge had collapsed, as 400,000 people had gathered in the area.