5 dead, 17 injured after wall collapse in Sichuan

Five people were killed and 17 others injured after a wall used to secure a temporary rain shelter collapsed during a family banquet in Changning county, Sichuan province, on Tuesday evening, local authorities said on Wednesday.

The accident occurred at about 5:30 pm in Xinbao village, Dongdi township, where a villager was holding a banquet in the courtyard of their home to celebrate a child's college admission, according to the Changning County Emergency Management Bureau.

A large amount of rainwater had accumulated on the temporary shelter, creating excessive tension on the ropes securing it to a parapet wall on the roof of a one-story building. The wall gave way, killing three people at the scene.

Two others died after being taken to hospital, while 17 injured people remain under medical treatment, the bureau said.

Local authorities are working to treat the injured and handle the aftermath of the accident.