Elderly person "buried" after wall collapses during RDC road excavation work

An elderly person has been trapped under a collapsed wall in HA. Kelaa after a building structure gave way during excavation work by the Road Development Corporation (RDC) to lay cable ducts.

The incident occurred when a wall collapsed adjacent to a deep trench that had been excavated for cable laying works on the island's streets.

The victim of the incident has been identified as an elderly Maldivian man who was working in the area at the time. When the wall collapsed, he fell into an adjacent excavation pit and was buried under the debris. Reports indicate that a nearby excavator had to be used to lift and clear large pieces of the wall to rescue him.

Wall of adjacent building collapses during RDC road excavation works. | Raajje MV

In the wake of this incident, several residents of Kelaa have expressed deep concerns regarding the operational conduct of the Road Development Corporation (RDC). Locals reported that adequate safety measures were not implemented despite excavation work being carried out in close proximity to building perimeters. Furthermore, some residents asserted that the RDC should have foreseen the risk of such an incident occurring when excavating so near to structural walls.

At the time of the incident, excavation work was being carried out near the walls of two houses in the area, resulting in varying degrees of damage to both structures. One house saw its boundary wall collapse completely, while a section of the wall at the other property also caved in.

Following the incident, local police arrived at the scene and are currently active in the area.

Wall of adjacent building collapses during RDC road excavation works. | Raajje MV

The elderly victim received initial treatment at the Kelaa Health Center and is currently being medically evacuated to Kulhudhuffushi City for further medical intervention.