At least fourteen people were killed in the coastal Mahul area when a landslide caused a wall to collapse on several homes, India’s National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) said on Sunday as rescuers were continuing to search the rubble.
Meanwhile, at least six people were killed when landslides collapsed homes in the northeast suburb of Vikhroli.
#MumbaiRains#VikhroliLandslide
UPDATE @ 9:30 hrs
🔸Due to hvy rains
🔸2nd landslide rptd
🔸SuryaNagar,Islampur 🔸Panchsheel Chawl,Vikhroli
🔸6 bodies recov
🔸Some missing
🔸Local agencies on site 🔸@5Ndrf team joined
🔸OPS ON@NDRFHQ @HMOIndia @BhallaAjay26 @PIBMumbai @ANI pic.twitter.com/rZvcfEGsB5— ѕαtчα prαdhαnसत्य नारायण प्रधान ସତ୍ଯପ୍ରଧାନ-DG NDRF (@satyaprad1) July 18, 2021
Mumbai and its surrounding suburbs, home to some 20 million people, have been pounded by monsoon rains since Saturday. The Indian Meteorological Department said early on Sunday that “moderate to heavy rain or thunder showers” were forecast for the next two days.
Authorities have reported 11 incidents of houses or walls collapsing in the Mumbai area, officials told Reuters news agency.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that he was “saddened by the loss of lives” while promising financial compensation for the victims’ families.
Saddened by the loss of lives due to wall collapses in Chembur and Vikhroli in Mumbai. In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with the bereaved families. Praying that those who are injured have a speedy recovery: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) July 18, 2021
Deadly building collapses are common, particularly in dense areas of poorly constructed homes, during the seasonal rains in Mumbai.
In June, 12 people were killed in a building collapse in Mumbai’s Malad suburb.
In September, 39 people died when a three-storey apartment block collapsed in Bhiwandi near Mumbai.
