Mumbai, a building collapses: 6 dead, dozens trapped. The city still underwater

The building located in the Bhendi Bazaar area, one of the most crowded in the megalopolis. The collapse may have been caused by heavy rains in the last few weeks. In India the collapse of old and crumbling buildings is very frequent. About 10 people drown in the flood; The rebound of responsibilities between government officials begins.


Mumbai (AsiaNews) – At least least six bodies have been recovered from the rubble of a collapsed building in Mumbai (Maharashtra). The tragedy occurred this morning around 8.40 (local time) in the area of ​​Bhendi Bazaar, one of the busiest in the city. There are dozens of National Disaster Response Force (Ndrf) rescuers working on the site who are fighting against time and weather to extract people who are still trapped. It is feared that there are at least 40 residents under the rubble, while the death toll is constantly increasing.

The causes of the collapse are still to be verified, but many suspect that the five-story building was damaged by the infiltration of heavy rainfall that has overwhelmed the megalopolis of 20 million. For weeks, India has been lashed by abundant precipitation, typical of the monsoon period. In the city, many neighborhoods are flooded, trains and airplanes have been suppressed, transport is blocked. To meet the needs of the displaced population, the Archdiocese opened all schools and parishes.

In India the collapse of old and crumbling buildings is very frequent. The last episode occurred in July when a four-story building crumpled in the outskirts of Ghatkopar, burying 17 people, one of whom a three-month-old baby. In 2013, another 60 people were killed in the collapse of another building.

Meanwhile, the number of flood victims continues to rise. According to local sources, about 10 people have died in recent days in the city of Mumbai, where 331 mm of rain fell yesterday. Local authorities have already triggered the rebound of responsibilities, while residents accuse the municipal government of "poor" governmental capability. In all South Asia, where flooding has plagued by 41 million people between India, Bangladesh and Nepal, the number of deaths has reached 1,000.