20 die as heavy rain hits Mumbai

At least 20 people have died after they got trapped under the rubble of their homes in Mumbai’s Chembur and Vikhroli areas following heavy rains that lashed the city and its suburbs for several hours late yesterday night and early this morning. A red alert has been sounded in the city and people have been advised not to venture out in the open, reports NDTV.

A ground-plus-one residential building collapsed in Vikhroli area in the morning hours of Sunday, killing three people, as per BMC, the city’s municipal body.

Fifteen people have been rescued from Chembur’s Bharat Nagar area and nine people from Vikroli’s Surya Nagar, officials said, adding that those injured have been moved to nearby hospitals for medical attention. Rescue operation is still on in both these areas as more people are feared to be trapped, the official said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was saddened by the loss of lives and announced a compensation of ₹ 2 lakh each to the families of those who died. “Rs. 50,000 would be given to those injured,” his office said on Twitter.

Mumbai city recorded 156.94 mm rain between 8 pm and 2 am, officials said, adding that the eastern suburbs recorded 143.14 mm and the western 125.37 mm, respectively.

The downpour caused heavy flooding in low lying areas of Chunabhatti, Sion, Dadar, and Gandhi Market, Chembur and Kurla LBS Road.

Visuals from news agency ANI showed cars being swept away by the undercurrents in Borivali east area.

The suburban train services in the financial capital were suspended due to water logging in the tracks due to the overnight downpour.

Central Railway said that due to water logging in tracks at Dadar, Parel, Matunga, Kurla, Sion, Bhandup and other locations, train services on main line were suspended between CSMT and Thane.

Several long distance trains on both Central railway and Western Railway were affected due to the flooded tracks.

Mumbai will continue to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall in the next five days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

In 2019, the city recorded 375.2 mm on July 2, the highest 24-hour rain for July since 2010.