Rains disrupt normal life in Mumbai; 9 die in house collapse in Thane

MUMBAI/THANE: Incessant rains lashing Mumbai and neighbouring districts of Thane and Palghar today threw normal life out of gear, even as nine people were killed in a building collapse in Bhiwandi town amid the heavy downpour.

The suburban trains, considered 'lifeline' of daily commuters in Mumbai and adjoining areas, were affected due to the heavy rains but it being a holiday today with major offices remaining closed the impact was less.

Nine persons, including four children and three women, were killed and 10 others injured when a residential building collapsed in Bhiwandi town of Thane amid heavy rains.

The two-storey structure, housing 7 to 8 families, at Gaibi Nagar under Shanti Nagar police station limits, crashed around 9.30 AM, Bhiwandi tehsildar Vaishali Lambate said.

Besides, 12 persons, including three children and two women, were stranded at a tourist spot behind a housing complex on Ghodbunder road in Thane due to an overflowing nullah. An SOS was sent to the disaster management cell and they were rescued with the help of a ladder and rope.

It turned out to be a hectic day for firemen and disaster management cell of Thane which received several calls of flooding, waterlogging and tree fall in the city.

The weather department has predicted very heavy rainfall in Mumbai and its suburbs during next 24 hours.

"Mumbai has been receiving good rainfall since yesterday due to active monsoon conditions. We expect very heavy rainfall in the next 24 hours due to strong westerly winds and an upper air cyclonic circulation over Gujarat," V K Rajeev, director of weather forecasting at IMD here said.

He said moderate rainfall is predicted over central Maharashtra and Marathwada region during next 24 hours.

Trains on the Central Line were running 5-10 minutes behind schedule, according to a Central Railway official.

The services on Trans-harbour Vashi-Panvel-Thane line were severely affected, while on the Harbour line, trains were running 15-20 minutes late, the official said.

The disaster management cell of Thane received over 50 calls regarding waterlogging, tree fall and also of a few incidents of wall collapse, but no one was injured.

TMC's regional disaster management cell chief Santosh Kadam said 175 mm rainfall was recorded today in Thane city till 4 PM. The city has received 2,140.50 mm rains so far this monsoon season, as compared to 1,557 mm downpour during the same period last year, he said.

Thane Municipal Commissioner Sanjeev Jaiswal issued a warning to city residents to not to venture out unless absolutely essential.