At least six dead as heavy rains trigger building collapse, disrupt travel in Mumbai

MUMBAI: At least six people, including five children, were killed when a cluster of buildings collapsed in the eastern suburbs of Mumbai on Sunday, officials said, as torrential rains continued to batter India’s financial capital, paralyzing transit networks and forcing school closures.

According to civic authorities, the tragedy occurred in the Mankhurd slum area when two to three multi-storey houses buckled under the weight of the downpour.

The collapse left a woman and five young children dead, marking the latest casualties in a city heavily impacted by monsoon fury. Local media reported that falling trees have claimed at least three other lives in Mumbai since late last month.

Widespread transit chaos

The unrelenting deluge has severely crippled infrastructure across the region. A series of landslides triggered by the rain blocked the crucial expressway connecting Mumbai with the neighboring city of Pune, forcing authorities to suspend traffic between the two major hubs.

Television footage from the scene showed massive slabs of concrete rubble strewn across the motorway, with sheets of rainwater cascading from the roofs of tunnels. The disruption extended far beyond roads; aviation officials reported significant flight delays, while long-distance rail services between Mumbai and Pune were abruptly cancelled, leaving thousands of commuters stranded.

Educational institutions closed

Parts of the metropolis recorded more than 100mm of rainfall within a short window, with some low-lying areas registering as much as 161mm. The resulting deluge left several neighbourhoods submerged, with local television broadcasting images of residents trudging through waist-deep, waterlogged lanes to navigate the city.

In response to the hazardous conditions, local administrators ordered all schools and colleges to remain closed on Monday as a safety precaution. Meanwhile, India’s meteorological department has forecast a slight reprieve for the broader region, predicting a spell of very light to light rain at many places across the national capital territory.