‘Up to 50’ Feared Trapped, 4 Confirmed Dead After Building Collapse in Mumbai

A four-storey building collapsed in India’s financial capital of Mumbai on July 16, trapping dozens in the rubble, with at least four people confirmed dead.
‘Up to 50’ Feared Trapped, 4 Confirmed Dead After Building Collapse in Mumbai
Rescue workers and residents search for survivors at the site of a collapsed building in Mumbai, India on July 16, 2019. Stringer/Reuters
Updated:

MUMBAI—A four-storey building collapsed in India’s financial capital of Mumbai on Tuesday, July 16, trapping dozens in the rubble, with at least four people confirmed dead, a fire department official said.

The building collapsed in the Dongri neighborhood, said Tanaji Kamble, a spokesman for Mumbai’s civic authority.

Local and federal agencies have been mobilized for search and rescue efforts, including Mumbai police and firefighters, and three teams from the National Disaster Response Force.

Officials rescue a child after a building collapsed in Mumbai, India on July 16, 2019. (Still Image from video via Reuters)
Officials rescue a child after a building collapsed in Mumbai, India on July 16, 2019. Still Image from video via Reuters

“We don’t know exactly how many are trapped, but with the input provided by neighbors, we estimate up to 50 could be trapped,” said the official, adding that rescue operations were hampered by narrow lanes in the area.

Adjacent buildings are also in dangerous conditions, and residents inside are being evacuated, said Mumbai fire brigade chief Prabhat Rahangale.

Rescue workers and residents search for survivors at the site of a collapsed building in Mumbai, India on July 16, 2019. (Stringer/Reuters)
Rescue workers and residents search for survivors at the site of a collapsed building in Mumbai, India on July 16, 2019. Stringer/Reuters

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has opened a shelter at a nearby Imamwada Municipal Secondary Girls’ School.

Images and videos on social media show the street covered with rubble, with rescue workers and volunteers clearing the debris.

The cause of the collapse is not yet clear, officials say.

The collapse comes just weeks after Mumbai faced devastating floods that left 43 dead. Heavy, sudden monsoon rains pummeled the state of Maharashtra, washing away houses and flooding transport hubs.
Rescuers and others gather at the spot after heavy rainfall caused a wall to collapse onto shanties, in Mumbai, India on July 2, 2019. (Rafiq Maqbool/Photo AP)
Rescuers and others gather at the spot after heavy rainfall caused a wall to collapse onto shanties, in Mumbai, India on July 2, 2019. Rafiq Maqbool/Photo AP

In Mumbai, officials have declared the storm to be the worst the city has experienced in over a decade.

The floods have since receded in the city, and rains are light on Tuesday—but further north, the states of Assam and Bihar are battling floods and landslides, with over 6.7 million people directly affected. Homes have been destroyed, and hundreds of thousands of people have evacuated to temporary shelters.

Reuters contributed to this report.