A portion of an old three-storey chawl caved in during heavy overnight rain in Mumbai's Mankhurd area on Sunday, killing six people and leaving one person critically injured. The collapse took place around 8:30 pm at chawl number five in Janta Nagar, located behind Hanuman Mandir, after days of relentless rainfall had already weakened the ageing structure.
How the collapse unfolded
Civic officials said two to three rooms of the three-storey building, including its ground floor, gave way without warning. Several residents were inside at the time, and rescue teams believe four to five people may still be trapped under the debris. Dr Patel of Shatabdi Hospital said five people were brought in critical condition, but all of them were declared dead, four women and one man among them. The death toll from the collapse has since climbed to six, with one more person still being treated in hospital. Chawls of this era were built as low-cost housing with long shared balconies and single-room units for each family, a design that has long left them vulnerable once monsoon water seeps into their ageing foundations.
Rescue operation continues
Mumbai's fire brigade, local police, the BMC's ward office staff and the 108 ambulance service reached the spot soon after the collapse and began clearing debris in search of survivors. With four to five residents still feared trapped, rescue crews continued combing through the wreckage through the night.
Schools and colleges shut across Maharashtra
Mumbai has been lashed by continuous heavy rain for two days, and the weather department has issued an orange alert warning of more heavy rainfall on Monday. With student safety in mind, all government, private and municipal-run schools and colleges in Mumbai have been ordered shut on Monday. A one-day holiday has also been declared for schools and colleges in Thane, Palghar, Raigad and Ratnagiri districts because of the same rain warning. District administrations have urged residents to stay alert and step out only if absolutely necessary.
Flights cancelled, dozens diverted
The downpour forced Mumbai airport to suspend runway operations for an hour, leading to the cancellation of four IndiGo flights. A day earlier, on Sunday, 13 flights operated by various airlines had to be diverted from Mumbai airport. According to the BMC, the city recorded more than 265 millimetres of rain and the suburbs more than 227 millimetres in the 24 hours up to 6 pm on Sunday, among the heaviest single-day totals of this monsoon season.
Waterlogging and snakes in Navi Mumbai
Chirner village in Navi Mumbai has also been badly hit, with residents reporting severe waterlogging. Locals said they killed at least 12 snakes on Saturday alone. One resident said, "No one has come to check on us yet. We have been stuck in this water for two days. We killed at least 10 to 12 snakes just yesterday."
Tree falls on shop in Kurla, killing one more
Amid strong winds and heavy rain, a tree fell on a shop in Mumbai's Kurla area, killing 63-year-old Yunus Kundawala. Municipal officials said the incident happened around 12:40 pm near the Gomes Gaon building in Kamani, Kurla (West), close to a Hindi-medium BMC school. Kundawala was rushed to Fauzia Hospital, where doctors declared him dead. Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde has announced financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh for the victim's family.
