(Cupventi.com) – A tragic event unfolded in Mumbai, India’s financial hub and most populous city, when a massive billboard collapsed during a violent thunderstorm, resulting in the deaths of at least 14 individuals. The incident occurred late on Monday and continued to affect the area into Tuesday, as emergency operations extended in an effort to rescue those still trapped beneath the debris.
Authorities reported that besides the fatalities, at least 74 people were taken to hospitals with various injuries due to the collapse, which happened in the eastern suburb of Ghatkopar. This incident caused a significant interruption along one of the city’s major highways, as the billboard, measuring 220 feet by 160 feet, fell on a busy gas station, smashing through its roof and crushing several vehicles beneath it. Fortunately, there were no subsequent explosions or fires reported at the scene.
Rescue efforts were complicated due to the location and the ongoing severe weather conditions. Video footage from the scene displayed cranes working to dismantle the billboard’s metal frame and rescuers diligently extracting survivors from the wreckage. Nikhil Mudholkar, assistant commandant of India’s disaster relief agency, highlighted the challenges faced by the rescue teams. “The presence of a petrol pump restricts us from using our gasoline-powered cutting tools, which complicates our efforts to safely extricate those trapped,” he explained to ANI, a local news agency.
The thunderstorm, which struck Mumbai on Monday, was so severe that it brought significant portions of the city to a halt, including operations at one of India’s busiest airports. The municipal authorities reported that some areas experienced up to three inches of rainfall within just two hours, exacerbating the city’s ongoing struggles with public infrastructure.
Mumbai, home to over 22 million people and the largest number of billionaires in Asia, is no stranger to thunderstorms, particularly during the monsoon season from June to September. The city frequently faces severe flooding, landslides, and road collapses that claim multiple lives annually in the state of Maharashtra.
In response to this disaster, Maharashtra’s Chief Minister, Eknath Shinde, along with his deputy, Devendra Fadnavis, announced a compensation package of $6,000 for the families of those who died. Additionally, Fadnavis assured the public via a post on X that an investigation into the accident was underway, focusing on potential breaches of safety regulations. “Strict action will be taken against the culprits,” he stated, reflecting the government’s commitment to addressing this tragic incident and preventing future occurrences.
This catastrophe not only highlights the dangers associated with failing infrastructure but also underlines the critical need for stringent safety standards and proactive disaster management strategies in rapidly growing megacities like Mumbai.