22 dead so far in Mumbai wall collapse incidents, PM announces ₹2 lakh for families

Mumbai: At least 22 people were killed and six others injured in two separate incidents of landslide and house collapse in Mumbai following the heavy rains that lashed the city. As many as 11 incidents of wall house collapse and landslide, 13 short-circuit incidents, tree-falling in nine areas were reported between Saturday night and Sunday morning.

Following the incessant overnight rain in the city, 17 persons were killed and two others were injured after a retaining wall collapsed in New Bharat Nagar in Mahul. Three others were killed after few huts collapsed in Surya Nagar in Panchsheel Chawl in Vikhroli east. Another person was killed in a wall collapse incident at Bhandup.

In another landslide at Chandivali, two people were injured. Another person died due to electrocution at the Firdaus Mithai Shop in Andheri west on Sunday morning.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed anguish at the loss of lives caused by wall collapse incidents in Mumbai due to heavy rains. His office also announced Rs two lakh each for the next of kin of the deceased from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund. A sum of Rs 50,000 would be given to the injured. President Ram Nath Kovind also expressed his condolences.

Continuous downpour overnight threw parts of Mumbai out of gear on Sunday with the city witnessing severe waterlogging, disruption of local train services and vehicular traffic. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Mumbai in the backdrop of heavy rains, a BMC official said.

Five automatic weather stations across the city- Kandivali Fire station, Kandivali workshop, H east ward office, Vile Parle fire station, S ward office- has recorded over 100 mm rain in an hour between 1 and 2 am. The downpour has caused heavy flooding in low-lying areas of Chunabhatti, Sion, Dadar, and Gandhi Market, Chembur and Kurla LBS Road.

The suburban train services on both Central Railway and Western Railway in the financial capital were suspended due to waterlogging in the tracks due to the overnight heavy downpour, railway officials said. The IMD said that till 6.30 am on Sunday, Mumbai and adjoining areas received over 120 mm rainfall in preceding 12 hours.