Mumbai Rains LIVE: Toll Rises to 14 in Ghatkopar Hoarding Collapse Incident, Rescue Ops Underway

Mumbai police have registered a complaint in hoarding collapse incident.

Rescue and search operations are underway by NDRF. The death toll in the Ghatkopar hoarding collapse incident has risen to 14.

Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar has said stringent action will be taken against those responsible for the hoarding collapse incident in the city. At least 14 people were killed and 74 injured after a 100 feet tall illegal billboard fell at a petrol pump in Ghatkopar during dust storms and unseasonal rains that lashed Mumbai on Monday, as per civic officials. Phansalkar visited the spot late Monday evening where he spoke to reporters and assured of action against those responsible for the incident.

The death toll in the Ghatkopar hoarding collapse incident rose to 14 after two more people succumbed to their injuries on Tuesday.

Rescue operations are underway in Mumbai's Ghatkopar after a hoarding collapsed on a petrol pump on Monday, killing at least 12 people.

The death toll in the Ghatkopar hoarding collapse incident has risen to 12 on Tuesday, said BMC. A total of 43 injured, including 1 critical, are still under treatment. 31 injured have been discharged

resident Droupadi Murmu on Monday said she was extremely sad to know about casualties due to a hoarding collapse in Mumbai's Ghatkopar area and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.

At least eight people lost their lives and more than 60 were injured when a 100-foot-tall illegal billboard fell at a petrol pump in Ghatkopar during dust storms and unseasonal rains that lashed Mumbai on Monday. "The news of several casualties due to the collapse of a hoarding in Ghatkopar area of ​​Mumbai is extremely sad. I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured and wish for the success of the relief and rescue operations," Murmu said in a post on X in Hindi. 

Mumbai Police registered a case against the owner of Ego Media and others after a hoarding collapsed on a petrol pump in Ghatkopar area on Monday, killing eight persons, an official said.

The owner, Bhavesh Bhinde, and others were booked under sections 304 (Culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 337 (causing hurt to another person by acting rashly or negligently) of the Indian Penal Code.

The case has been registered at Pantnagar police station and the investigation is underway, he said.

At least eight persons were killed and over 70 others injured when the 100-foot tall billboard fell on the petrol pump at the Cheddanagar Junction amid gusty wind and rain, officials said.

According to civic officials, the billboard was illegal and no permission was taken to install it. 

 At least nine persons were killed and over 70 others injured on Monday in rain-related incidents in Mumbai wherein a 100-foot tall billboard fell on a petrol pump in Ghatkopar area while an under-construction metal tower collapsed on a road amid gusty winds in Wadala, officials said.

The billboard, which was illegal according to civic officials, uprooted and fell on a petrol pump at the Cheddanagar Junction in Ghatkopar, killing eight people and injuring 70 others.

"78 people have been pulled out so far from under the hoarding, of which eight are declared dead, while 70 others were injured. They were rushed to various hospitals," a senior police officer said, adding that the search and rescue operation is underway at the spot.

In Bandra, a branch of a tree fell on a shop, trapping two persons. "Of them, a 38-year-old died while another person was seriously injured," a civic official said.

In Wadala, an under-construction metal parking tower collapsed on a road amid gusty winds, injuring three persons and damaging vehicles.

Of the total injured persons, 56 were admitted to Rajawadi Hospital and others at three separate hospitals.

The unseasonal rain and dust storms led to the suspension of flight operations at Mumbai airport for an hour in 

Flight operations at Mumbai airport were hit and local trains were delayed as Mumbai witnessed unseasonal rains, accompanied by a dust storm on Monday evening. “Due to the inclement weather and dust storms in the city, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) temporarily suspended flight operations for around 66 minutes due to low visibility and gusty winds. Operations resumed at 17:03 hrs. During this time, the airport witnessed 15 diversions," Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) said in a statement. 

Later, several airlines, including SpiceJet and IndiGo, issued advisories to their passengers. Vistara has also provided details regarding four Mumbai-bound flights that were diverted owing to adverse weather conditions. (READ FULL STORY HERE)

The 100-ft hoarding which collapsed on a petrol pump at the Cheddanagar Junction in Ghatkopar area, killing 3 people was erected by Ego Media flouting BMC norms, sources said after the mishap. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has also stated that it would file a complaint against advertising company Ego Media for the incident. ‘A complaint will be filed by registering an FIR under the Disaster Management Act’, the BMC Public Relations Office said. (READ FULL STORY) 

Reacting to the Ghatkopar incident, Maharashtra Dy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “There will be an investigation regarding what kind of permission they have for this hoarding, whether they had this permission or not... The CM has directed that a proper audit of all the hoardings in Mumbai be done by BMC to mitigate such incidents in future.”

"Whovever has done this kind of ignorance, strict action will be taken against them,” he added. 

Death toll rises to 4 after giant billboard fell in Ghatkopar, Mumbai.

Rains and gusty winds lashed parts of Mumbai and neighbouring metropolitan areas on Monday, disrupting Metro and local train services. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) Mumbai has issued a "nowcast warning" forecasting a thunderstorm accompanied by lightning and moderate to intense spells of rain for Thane, Palghar and Mumbai. "Thunderstorm accompanied with lightning and light to moderate spells of rain with gusty winds reaching 40-50 kmph is very likely to occur at isolated places in Mumbai in the next 3-4 hours," an official of IMD said. (READ FULL STORY HERE)

Mumbaikars on Monday afternoon received a much-needed break from the blistering summer heat as overcast skies and gusty winds brought relief in Mumbai. The sudden weather change in Mumbai followed a yellow alert issued by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) for certain parts of the city on May 13, predicting heavy rains, thunderstorms, and dry, gusty winds, particularly in Thane and Raigad districts. Social media platform X, formerly Twitter, became hubs for residents to share real-time weather updates and captivating visuals of the unexpected weather phenomenon. Many expressed relief and joy as the gusty winds helped lower the temperature by a few degrees, offering temporary respite from the scorching heatwave-like conditions that had gripped the city. (READ FULL STORY HERE)

Soon after the incident, Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde reached the spot and in a media statement said that 57 people have been rescued and sent to Rajawadi Hospital for treatment 

"I have asked municipal commissioner to conduct a special audit of all hoardings in Mumbai and take action against those responsible for illegal hoardings," he said.