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29 March 2024

Woman rescued as death toll rises in Mumbai building collapse

Photo: AFP

Published
By AFP

Rescuers pulled a woman from the rubble of a Mumbai building a day after it collapsed but her two young children did not survive, officials said Wednesday, as the death toll from the tragedy rose to 13.

Heavy monsoon rains on Tuesday trapped more than 40 people after the building crumbled in southern Mumbai's congested Dongri area, with rescuers and volunteers struggling to conduct their search among the narrow lanes.

"We rescued 28-year-old Alima Indrasi with her two children early on Wednesday morning," India's National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) spokesman Sachidanand Gawde told AFP.

"She has sustained injuries but is undergoing treatment and her children did not survive... (we) are hopeful there may still be some victims who will survive."

He said rescue operations were in the final stages.

Disaster management spokesman Tanaji Kamble added that 13 bodies have been recovered so far.

The plight of the residents in the 100-year-old building, which was due to be redeveloped, have highlighted the perilous state of Mumbai's ageing infrastructure.

The tragedy is the second collapse to hit Mumbai in two weeks and the third in Maharashtra state.

A wall collapsed in the city killing 30 people in July, and 15 died in the nearby city of Pune when another wall gave way the previous month.

Building collapses in Mumbai, home to around 20 million people, are common during the monsoon season with rickety structures buckling under the weight of continuous rain.

Across South Asia, torrential downpours have swept away homes, triggered landslides and claimed at least 200 lives.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday tweeted his condolences to the victims' families, describing the incident as "anguishing".

Four dead, 12 feared trapped after Mumbai building collapse

Four people were killed and at least others 12 feared trapped under rubble after a building collapsed as heavy monsoon rains lashed India's financial capital Mumbai on Tuesday, officials said, the second such tragedy in two weeks.

Torrential downpours have swept away homes, triggered landslides and claimed at least 180 lives across South Asia.

"Four people are dead and over 12 people are still stuck under the rubble," disaster management spokesman Tanaji Kamble told AFP of the building collapse in southern Mumbai's congested Dongri area.

"Eight injured have been sent to hospitals and rescue operations are ongoing."

Two teams from India's National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) as well as local volunteers, the fire department and police officials were scouring the rubble for survivors.

Volunteers could be seen recovering household items including furniture from the debris.

"The building collapse sounded like an earthquake and we rushed to the spot to check the loud noise," a local resident told Indian news channel NDTV.

Another resident said the building was more than a century old and had 10 families living inside despite its dilapidated condition.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted his condolences to the victims' families, describing the incident as "anguishing".

Earlier this month, a wall collapsed in the city, killing 29 people.

Building collapses in Mumbai, home to 20 million people, are common during the monsoon season because rickety structures buckle under the weight of continuous rain.

Two dead, over 40 trapped in Mumbai building collapse

Two people were killed and more than 40 trapped under the rubble after a building collapsed as heavy monsoon rains lashed India's financial capital Mumbai on Tuesday, officials said, the second such tragedy in two weeks.

"Two people have been declared dead and over 40 are trapped under the debris," disaster management spokesman Tanaji Kamble told AFP of the building collapse in Mumbai's congested Dongri area.

Kamble said five others, including two children, were rescued and taken to hospital.