Maharashtra rains kill 35, Mumbai paralysed

Mumbai: At least 27 Mumbaikars, including eight children, were killed as torrential rain left several areas of the country’s commercial capital waterlogged, throwing rail, air and road traffic out of gear, with several trains and flights being cancelled on Tuesday.

In the whole of Maharashtra, 35 people were killed and 85 injured due to incessant rains.

Mumbai received the heaviest rain over a 24-hour period since the 2005 deluge as the authorities declared on Tuesday as a public holiday in the maximum city.

The India Meteorological Department has forecast heavy rain on Wednesday even as the city was pounded by the highest 24-hour rainfall for July in a decade. 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.

At least 27 people, including eight children, were killed and 78 injured in a wall collapse in suburban area of Malad in Mumbai. Amid dramatic scenes, efforts by rescue workers to get a 15-year-old girl out of the debris proved futile as she died during the operation. A security guard also died in a similar incident in Mulund, while three people were killed after a wall collapsed in Kalyan in Thane district.

One person was electrocuted in Vile Parle. Two persons died in Malad after they were locked up in a car flooded with rainwater.

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) additional commissioner Ashwini Joshi said an inquiry will be held into the Malad wall collapse and any official found guilty will be punished. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also made a similar announcement in the state legislature, announcing a high-level probe into the wall collapse.

In Pune, six labourers were killed and three injured after a wall collapsed in Ambegaon area late Monday night.