Thane: A fireman sustained severe leg injuries on Monday morning while clearing a massive uprooted tree and, in separate incidents, a large billboard and two walls collapsed following heavy rainfall and strong winds in Maharashtra's Thane city, officials said.
The heavy rain triggered a total of 186 emergency complaints across Thane city, including 110 tree collapses, 38 fallen branches, four instances of waterlogging, two compound wall collapses, and one slab fall.
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In neighbouring Palghar district, strong winds blew away the tin-roofed sheds and uprooted trees in a residential school, the officials said, adding that all 350 students at the establishment were safe.
Rescue teams and civic bodies across both Thane and Palghar districts were on high alert as rainwater entered several low-lying houses.
A giant tree got uprooted and precariously leaned against a residential building near the Vrindavan bus stop in the Srirang society area of Thane city in the morning, following relentless rain and wind, Regional Disaster Management Cell (RDMC) chief Yasin Tadvi said.
During the clearing operation, a fireman, identified as Ankit Yadav (32), suffered a severe injury. "While cutting the uprooted branches, Yadav's leg was accidentally hit by the mechanical cutter machine, causing serious deep injuries," Tadvi stated.
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He was rushed to the civic-run Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital in Kalwa, where he is undergoing treatment. No residents were hurt, the official said.
In another incident, a massive advertisement hoarding collapsed on Pokhran Road No. 2 due to fierce winds.
The heavy structure crashed onto the roadside, prompting civic authorities to cordon off the area, Tadvi said.
No injuries were reported in the incident. Disaster management teams were sent to dismantle and clear the collapsed structure from the busy thoroughfare, he said.
In another incident, a massive compound wall of the Golden Park Society collapsed onto an adjacent chawl (row tenement) in Gokul Nagar in the morning.
"No injuries were reported at the scene. Disaster management personnel and Uthalsar ward committee staff rushed to the spot with a pickup vehicle, secured the area with danger tape, and initiated debris clearance operations," Tadvi stated.
In neighbouring Palghar district, high-velocity winds blew away the tin-roofed sheds of the main and toilet blocks at an Ashram School located in Mauje Gunj Budhavali in Wada taluka, disaster management cell chief Vivekanand Kadam told PTI.
"Trees on the school campus were also uprooted due to the strong winds. However, all 350 students residing at the facility are safe, and no injuries have been reported," Kadam confirmed.
Heavy flooding was reported in several low-lying areas and also inundated the Saphala Police Station premises, an official from the police control room said.
In the 24 hours ending at 8.30 am on Monday, Thane city recorded 208.53 mm of rainfall. With this, the cumulative seasonal rainfall for Thane has reached 1,157.24 mm, higher than the 989.00 mm recorded during the same period last year, Tadvi said.
