Mumbai has recorded yet another death caused by a falling tree. A man was killed in Kurla on Sunday, marking the third such incident in the city in recent times.
The victim, 63 year old Yunus Hakimuddin Sheikh, had recently bought a shop in the area. He was there preparing for its opening day when a tree came crashing down on him with tremendous force. The moment was captured on CCTV camera.
Footage showed Sheikh standing near his new shop just before the tree collapsed. The impact also damaged vehicles parked below at the time.
Delayed response raises concerns
Local residents alleged that no one from the municipal agency arrived at the scene for at least two hours after the tree fell. This delay has added to growing frustration among Mumbai residents over how quickly civic bodies respond to such incidents during the monsoon season.
This is not an isolated case. Just days earlier, 11 year old Vihaan Srivastava was killed, and four other children were injured, when a tree collapsed onto their school bus while they were heading home.
That particular tree was between 60 and 70 years old. Records show it had been inspected on May 12 and was declared strong and healthy at the time. It also underwent routine trimming on May 29, just weeks before the fatal collapse.
Questions around urban tree health
These repeated incidents have raised concerns about overall health of trees in Mumbai’s urban pockets. Experts point to unplanned construction and issues like concrete slabs blocking root growth as contributing factors that gradually weaken trees over time even when they appear structurally sound on surface.
Details about the specific tree that fell today, and its condition prior to the incident, are still awaited from the municipal corporation.
Beyond falling trees, Mumbai has been dealing with a broader wave of rain related disruptions. Several incidents involving large branches and trees falling onto roads and vehicles have been reported across different parts of the city.
IMD issues red alert
Adding to the city’s challenges, the India Meteorological Department issued a red alert for Mumbai and the Raigad district today, following heavy rainfall that began Saturday night.
Mumbai has recorded more than 250 to 300 mm of rainfall within the last 23 hours in certain parts of the city. The IMD has forecast that moderate to intense rainfall will continue across these regions in the coming hours.