Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 2: Many people are feared to be trapped under the debris of a three-storey building which collapsed in Palakkad town of Kerala, located 340-km north of state capital Thiruvananthapuram, on Thursday.

The rescue operation is currently underway with teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) along with the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) deployed at the site.

At least seven people have been rescued so far and rushed to the nearest hospital, confirmed Palakkad MLA Shafi Parambil. The legislator said all steps are being taken to bring the victims out of the debris alive.

"The rescue work is underway in full swing. We are hopeful of clearing the debris by the evening," Parambil told reporters, adding that he would be monitoring the rescue work till each of the victim is brought out from the debris.

The rescue workers had asked local onlookers to step away from the site of collapse as the crowd was hindering the rescue operation. Media personnel were also asked to exercise restraint.

Local media reports claim the building, which was in a dilapidated condition, collapsed when construction workers were replacing its concrete beam. Whether the heavy rains which have lashed Kerala over the past week abated the collapse is a matter of enquiry, said an official.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 02, 2018 05:32 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).