13 people dead after they were reported to have fallen inside a well during a wedding ceremony in India’s northern region.
According to reports by the Associated Press, confirmed that 13 people dead after they fell into a well after the slab they were on atop gave way. Additionally, 10 more people were injured.
A rescuer at the scene in the Uttar Pradesh state’s Kushinagar district, Muralidhar Singh, told the AP that the well was over 50 feet deep.
The youngest victim was 1 year old, police told NBC News Thursday. The BBC reports that 11 people were declared dead at the scene, while two others died while being treated later, according to authorities.
The Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath, tweeted his condolences to the following the incident, saying, “The accident in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh is heart-wrenching.”
“My deepest sympathies are with the families of the deceased,” he added. “Praying to God that the injured get speedy recovery.”
India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, shared similar thoughts on his Twitter account, writing, “The accident in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh is heart-wrenching. I express my deepest condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives in this.”
“I wish the injured a speedy recovery,” Modi added, concluding, “The local administration is involved in all possible help.”
NBC News reports that each victim’s family of the 13 women and children will receive compensation from district authorities of over $5,300, according to Adityanath’s office.
Authorities are currently investigating the incident, the AP reports.