Collapsing Indian buildings kill 13

By South Asia correspondent Mike Wooldridge

At least 13 people have been killed and several others injured as two buildings collapsed in separate accidents in India.

Reports say five people were crushed to death when a college building under construction in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh caved in, and at least eight people died when a brewery building collapsed in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh.

It is reported that dozens of workers were inside the brewery building, some 50km from the Uttar Pradesh state capital, Lucknow, when it collapsed.

India suffers unpredictable weather conditions

The 80-year-old tin building was flattened in a severe dust storm. Most of the workers were rescued from the debris, but officials said at least eight died and four others were injured.

Several hundred kilometres to the south, in the Khammam district of Andhra Pradesh, a major rescue operation was also launched when the college building collapsed.

It was a building under construction at an engineering college, and its roof is reported to have given way.

Five people were crushed to death and several others were injured. Reports say the local police have registered a case of negligence against the contractor and the owner of the building.