18 people killed in two incidents of wall collapse in Mumbai and Pune

In Maharashtra, 18 people were killed in two incidents of a wall collapse in Mumbai and Pune. While 12 people were killed and 76 injured after a wall collapsed on few hutments built on a hill slope in Mumbai due to heavy rain.

The incident occurred at 2 AM today in Pimpripada in Malad East area. Out of the 76 injured 5 are said to be in critical condition. Officials said some people are also feared trapped under the debris of the collapsed wall. 

A National Disaster Response Force team has reached the site of the incident. The team has also deployed a dog squad at the spot. Other agencies such as the fire brigade and police are also present there as search operations are underway.

In Pune, six persons died and three injured after a wall collapsed near Ambegaon police station. The incident occurred around midnight last night. NDRF team is carrying out rescue at the site. 

This is a second such incident in recent past as on June 29, at least 15 people had died after a portion of a wall collapsed near Talab Masjid in Kondhwa area of Pune.

Normal life remained affected due to heavy rains which lashed the city for the fifth consecutive day. The state government has also declared a public holiday in Mumbai today for the safety of the citizens in the wake of very heavy rainfall forecast by IMD. Holiday has also been declared in all public and private schools and colleges in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane and Konkan areas. 

The state government has advised people to stay indoors unless there is an emergency. Suburban train movement in some areas in Mumbai and around was also suspended after midnight for few hours citing "safety hazard". 

Few suburban train services have now resumed till further notice on Central, Western line and harbour



line with a cautious speed. Several long-distance trains have also been cancelled or rescheduled since yesterday. 

Meanwhile, twelve people were killed and 76 others were injured after a retaining wall collapsed on few hutments built on a hill slope in Kurar village in Mumbai's Malad East due to heavy rain in the wee hours today. 

NDRF team, fire brigade and police are present at the spot. Few people may be trapped under the debris of the wall collapse. Search operations are underway. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has expressed pain over the incident and has announced 5 lakh rupees compensation for the kin of the deceased.

In Kalyan, at least three people were killed and one injured in a wall collapse incident midnight last night, about 40 kms from Mumbai due to heavy rain. 

The wall of National Urdu School, opposite Durgadi fort in Kalyan (West), fell on the nearby hutments killing two women and a three-year-old boy. A 16-year-old girl was also injured in the accident.

Dilip Gund, Chief Fire Officer of Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation said they got a call at 1.30 AM about the incident after which a team of fire brigade, local police and civic officials rushed to the spot and rescued four people from the debris and sent them to a nearby hospital where three were declared brought dead. Bazarpeth police station under whose jurisdiction the incident took place has registered an accidental death report in the case.

The three dead were identified as 60-year-old Shobha Kamble, 25-year-old Karina Mohammad Chand and 3-year-old Hussein Mohammad Chand. 16-year-old Arti Raju Kardile suffered severe injuries in the wall collapse. The injured were rushed to Kalyan’s Rukminibai civic hospital.