Mumbai: At least seventeen people have died, and several were injured after a wall collapsed on some shanties in the Bharat Nagar area of the Chembur district. Many people are feared trapped under the debris.
People rescued from the wall collapse incident in the Chembur's Bharat Nagar area are injured have been moved to nearby hospitals for medical attention.
Soon after the incident, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and police teams reached the spot and started carrying out the rescue operations. Landslides had occurred in the area due to heavy rains, NDRF confirmed. Over 25 houses have been due to the wall collapse and 300 houses are to be impacted due to the rescue operation and if the rain continues.
BMC has decided to move residents of the 25 affected houses to a much safer place today. BMC will shift residents of around 300 houses as a precautionary measure.
At the same time, seven people died due to a wall collapse in Vikhroli. The incident happened because of the landslide. The rescue operation is underway. Heavy rains have lashed several parts of Mumbai and the weather department has issued a red alert for the city.
A 16-year-old boy has also died after a wall collapsed in the Bhandup area.
PM Modi has announced that Rs. 2 lakh each from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to wall collapses in Mumbai. Rs. 50,000 would be given to those injured.
President Ram Nath Kovind also expressed grief and said, "Deeply saddened by the news of many casualties in incidents following heavy rain in Mumbai's Chembur and Vikhroli areas. I express my condolences to the bereaved families and wish for successful relief and rescue work."
Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray has expressed grief over the deaths in accidents at Chembur & Vikhroli due to torrential rains & announced that the government would pay Rs 5 lakh each to the heirs of the deceased & free treatment would be given to the injured. State Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray reached Chembur and inspected the damage caused by the wall collapse. He also met the kins of victims.
After incessant rain in Mumbai since Saturday, local train services have been affected on Central Main Line and Harbour Line. Roads have been waterlogged and parked cars were seen floating in water in Borivali.
Rainwater has even entered inside the houses in Mumbai's Kandivali area and people are facing a lot of trouble due to knee-deep water.
KS Hosalikar, head of SID at Climate and Research Services in Pune, said Mumbai and nearby areas received rainfall early in the morning as well. "Extremely Heavy rainfall realized so far and severe floodings observed due to very very intense spell in a very short time," he added.