Mumbai:
The toll in rain-related incidents in Mumbai reached 30 as incessant heavy downpour overnight during a major thunderstorm pummeled the Maharashtra capital, causing severe water-logging and traffic disruptions in the city on Sunday, officials said.
In the Mahul area in suburban Chembur, 19 people died when a compound wall came crashing down on some houses located on a hillock following a landslide, a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) PRO said on Sunday night. The retaining wall of the Bharatnagar locality collapsed at 1 am. Five people were injured and taken to nearby Rajawadi hospital, as per the BMC.
In another incident, ten hutment-dwellers died as six shanties collapsed after a landslide in suburban Vikhroli at 2.30 am. One person was injured in the incident, the BMC said.
In suburban Bhandup, a 16-year-old boy died after a forest department compound wall collapsed, an official said.
Earlier, BMC commissioner IS Chahal, who attended a review meeting on the situation chaired by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, said that 27 people had lost their lives in the rain-related incidents.
“Last night’s rain was over 200 mm and in the compound wall collapse and landslide in two different places 27 people lost their lives,” he had said.
Chahal also said that BMC workers and officers are working round the clock.
An India Meteorological Department official told the meeting that an “orange alert” was issued for Mumbai and the Konkan coast for the next five days.
As per the forecast, winds might blow at the speed of 50 to 60 km per hour. Heavy rains are expected on July 23 as well, the Met department said.
