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28 dead as heavy rains paralyse Mumbai, Pune; schools shut, air, road, rail traffic hit

The Meteorological Department has warned of ‘extremely heavy’ rainfall in adjoining areas of Thane and Palghar on July 2, 4 and 5.

28 dead as heavy rains paralyse Mumbai, Pune; schools shut, air, road, rail traffic hit

Picture clicked in July. (File Photo: IANS)

At least 23 people are reportedly dead in rain-related incidents in Maharashtra’s Mumbai and Pune after intense rains continue to lash the state for the fifth day.

At least 18 persons were killed and several others injured in Malad suburb a little after midnight on Tuesday as the compound wall of a school collapsed on some adjoining hutments.

Following the mishap, the the Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) and NDRF officials reached the spot and carried out rescue operations.

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“Pained to know about the loss of lives in Malad Wall Collapse incidence. My thoughts are with families who lost loved ones & prayers for speedy recovery of injured. ₹5 lakh will be given to the kin of deceased,” chief minister Devendra Fadnavis tweeted with a hashtag MumbaiRains.

Meanwhile, at least three people were killed and one injured in a wall collapse incident early on Tuesday in Kalyan near Mumbai.

The wall of National Urdu School, opposite Durgadi Fort in Kalyan (West), fell on the nearby hutments killing two women and a three-year-old boy.

The fire department and the police carried out rescue operations and cleared the debris.

In Pune, the compound wall of the Sinhagad College crashed on some hutments killing at least seven persons.

In all the incidents, the police officials fear that there may be more people trapped under the debris.

The Meteorological Department has warned of “extremely heavy” rainfall in adjoining areas of Thane and Palghar on July 2, 4 and 5.

Private weather agency Skymet said Mumbai is at “serious risk of flooding” between July 3 and 5. “Close to 200 mm or more rain per day is likely during this period, which could hamper normal life,” it said.

In the wake of the incessant rainfall, the state government has declared Tuesday as a public holiday for Mumbai. All schools have been shut.

The city is witnessing heavy waterlogging and flooding situation.

Sub-urban train movement in some areas in Mumbai and around have been cancelled for now citing “safety hazard”. Many trains have been short-terminated after the tracks were flooded with water.

About 1000 people have been shifted to safety with the help of NDRF, fire brigade, Naval teams as well as local volunteers.

Mumbai airport has not been closed but the main runway has been closed for operation after a flight skidded on the main runway.

Some flights have been diverted to Goa while many others were rescheduled.

A SpiceJet plane that came from Jaipur had overshot the runway during landing at Mumbai airport amid heavy rain around 11:45 pm on Monday. No one was injured.

The city received the highest rainfall in a decade over a two-day period since Sunday, resulting in massive traffic jams and flooding homes in low-lying areas.

“Due to heavy rain forecast in Mumbai even today by IMD, People are advised to stay indoors unless there is any emergency,” Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s office tweeted.

The rains have so far claimed around 50 lives in the past five days in the state so far.

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