A search for survivors is underway in India’s financial capital of Mumbai after two buildings collapsed amid heavy rainfall, killing at least four people and trapping dozens more under the debris.
The first collapse occurred at around noon in the city’s Fort area, where part of a six-story building went down. At least two people were killed in that incident and two others critically injured, ZeeNews reported.
The property was undergoing repairs and was supposed to have been vacated, but some residents kept living there despite the eviction notice, local media reported.
“People are trapped under the debris and some are stranded inside the remaining portion of the affected building,” the Mumbai Fire Brigade’s Chief Officer Prabhat Rahangdale said.
Eight fire engines, two rescue vans and 10 ambulances have been deployed to the site to search for survivors.
Earlier in the day, a three-story building collapsed in the Malad suburb of Mumbai, killing two people and trapping many others. A rescue operation saw 15 people extracted from the rubble. They were sent to hospital, with most being discharged later.
Mumbai has been deluged with heavy rain for several days. By Thursday, the city’s rainfall for July had reached 1,024mm – a fifth higher than the monthly average.
Building collapses aren’t a rare occurrence in India’s second largest city during the monsoon season, as its infrastructure remains in dire need of upgrades, especially in low-income areas.
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