Mumbai: Nineteen people were killed and five seriously injured in the Bharat Nagar slum of Mahul after a landslide on a hill bordering the BARC complex and a subsequent flash flood around 12.30am on Sunday. Even 20 hours later, rescuers were trying to remove four people who they feared were still trapped in the rubble. Three families lost four members each. The incident has once again highlighted the problem of illegal construction along the retaining walls of the city's establishments.
Among the deceased were 11 women and eight men. Five were minors, including two teenagers, one two-year-old, one four-year-old, and one ten-year-old. Locals said that amid heavy rains, water and mud spilled onto the homes of nearly 200 families. The force razed parts of the retaining wall in three places, and parts of the slopes of nearly 50 brick and mortar shacks collapsed under the rubble. โIt was as if all hell had broken loose. People had just gone to bed after dinner. Many must have died in their sleep, "said a witness.
Most of the cabin dwellers in the area are day gamblers, plumbers, carpenters, housemaids, and people who do odd jobs.
React to accusations that the fire brigade and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) arrived late to the scene, the senior officials of the fire brigade said they received the first call at 1.09 am and at 2.15 am the first fire tender had started rescue operations.
"After a higher-level alert call at 4.38am, the fire brigade and NDRF operations began in full swing," said an official. NDRF officials denied rumors of electrocution deaths at the site.
Chembur and the surrounding areas received extremely heavy rainfall, 241mm, between 11am. Saturday and 7 a.m. M. From Sunday. Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray called it a "mini downpour".
Questions are being raised about how the hillside huts, which emerged in 1999, were allowed to abut a wall. BMC standards specify a minimum distance between retaining walls and homes. "Why was this rule not followed?" asked the BJP leader, Kirit Somaiya, who visited the place. "The place is so dangerous that another incident can occur at any time in the event of heavy rains if the existing cabins are not changed."
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has announced the ex gratia payment of 5 lakh rupees to the closest relatives of each deceased and free medical treatment for the injured. Thackeray took stock of rescue and relief operations in the presence of municipal commissioner IS Chahal and called for strong coordination between the NDRF, firefighters and police. He said he wanted the administration to be vigilant amid forecasts of heavy rain.
The CM has asked the municipal authorities to guarantee the drainage of rainwater from the low-lying areas, to keep the roads free of flooding and to guarantee the restoration of local train services as soon as possible. He has also said that the medical facilities at the Covid jumbo centers should not be affected by the rain.
In Mahul, those who escaped recounted their ordeal. Rukhsana Khan, whose home was damaged in the incident, said her six-year-old son was playing near the door, but since the door was closed, debris did not hit him. Laxmi Jogdandkar, who lives on the first floor, said that he and his family were saved from the strong streams of rainwater because they were not level with the ground floor. (With input from Sujit Mahamulkar)
Among the deceased were 11 women and eight men. Five were minors, including two teenagers, one two-year-old, one four-year-old, and one ten-year-old. Locals said that amid heavy rains, water and mud spilled onto the homes of nearly 200 families. The force razed parts of the retaining wall in three places, and parts of the slopes of nearly 50 brick and mortar shacks collapsed under the rubble. โIt was as if all hell had broken loose. People had just gone to bed after dinner. Many must have died in their sleep, "said a witness.
Most of the cabin dwellers in the area are day gamblers, plumbers, carpenters, housemaids, and people who do odd jobs.
React to accusations that the fire brigade and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) arrived late to the scene, the senior officials of the fire brigade said they received the first call at 1.09 am and at 2.15 am the first fire tender had started rescue operations.
"After a higher-level alert call at 4.38am, the fire brigade and NDRF operations began in full swing," said an official. NDRF officials denied rumors of electrocution deaths at the site.
Chembur and the surrounding areas received extremely heavy rainfall, 241mm, between 11am. Saturday and 7 a.m. M. From Sunday. Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray called it a "mini downpour".
Questions are being raised about how the hillside huts, which emerged in 1999, were allowed to abut a wall. BMC standards specify a minimum distance between retaining walls and homes. "Why was this rule not followed?" asked the BJP leader, Kirit Somaiya, who visited the place. "The place is so dangerous that another incident can occur at any time in the event of heavy rains if the existing cabins are not changed."
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has announced the ex gratia payment of 5 lakh rupees to the closest relatives of each deceased and free medical treatment for the injured. Thackeray took stock of rescue and relief operations in the presence of municipal commissioner IS Chahal and called for strong coordination between the NDRF, firefighters and police. He said he wanted the administration to be vigilant amid forecasts of heavy rain.
The CM has asked the municipal authorities to guarantee the drainage of rainwater from the low-lying areas, to keep the roads free of flooding and to guarantee the restoration of local train services as soon as possible. He has also said that the medical facilities at the Covid jumbo centers should not be affected by the rain.
In Mahul, those who escaped recounted their ordeal. Rukhsana Khan, whose home was damaged in the incident, said her six-year-old son was playing near the door, but since the door was closed, debris did not hit him. Laxmi Jogdandkar, who lives on the first floor, said that he and his family were saved from the strong streams of rainwater because they were not level with the ground floor. (With input from Sujit Mahamulkar)
