8 dead, over 60 injured as huge billboard collapses in Mumbai amid rain

8 dead, over 60 injured as huge billboard collapses in Mumbai amid rain

Mumbai: At least eight persons were killed and over 60 others injured on Monday when a 100-foot tall illegal billboard fell on a petrol pump in Ghatkopar area of Mumbai as unseasonal rains accompanied by dust storms lashed the city.

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

Flight operations at Mumbai airport were suspended for an hour in the evening due to low visibility while local trains were delayed. As many as 15 flights were diverted to different airports and the runways operation resumed at 5.03 pm, the airport operator said.

“Due to the inclement weather and dust storms in the city, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) temporarily suspended flight operations for around 66 min due to low visibility and gusty winds,” it said in a statement.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde visited the spot of the hoarding collapse incident in Ghatkopar late in the evening. A senior civic official said an NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) team has reached the spot where the hoarding collapsed and a search and rescue operation is underway.

“Machinery including cranes for lifting the hoarding and gas cutters has arrived at the spot,” the official said. “As many as 100 people are feared trapped under the hoarding,” the official said, adding that the search and rescue operation is under way.

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