1 killed after portion of building balcony collapses in Mumbai amid heavy rain

One person died after a portion of a residential building collapsed in South Mumbai late Tuesday amid heavy rainfall that continued to lash the city and suburbs. The victim was identified as Santosh Ramchandra Bharaskar, 51, who was rescued and taken to hospital but was declared brought dead, according to hospital authorities.

The incident was reported at around 11:22 pm on June 30 at Surya Prakash Building on Babulnath Road in Walkeshwar.

According to civic officials, part of the third-floor balcony of the ground-plus-three-storey Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) cessed building gave way.

Emergency teams from the Mumbai Fire Brigade, police, BEST, ward staff and ambulance services rushed to the spot after receiving the alert.

Initial information suggested one person had been injured in the collapse and shifted to the nearest hospital.

Officials later confirmed Bharaskar’s death after he was brought to JJ Hospital.

Authorities are continuing to assess the structure and inspect surrounding areas as heavy rain persists across the city.

TREE FALLS ON SCHOOL BUS, STUDENT DIES

The latest fatality comes days after another rain-related tragedy in Mumbai in which an 11-year-old child lost his life after a tree collapsed onto a school bus during adverse weather conditions.

The accident took place around 2:50 pm when a tree collapsed onto a bus belonging to Universal School, Tilak Nagar.

Officials are assessing the circumstances that led to the tree collapse. According to DCP Sameer Shaikh, Zone 6, the victim, identified as Vihan Shrivastav, was declared brought dead at the hospital.

Twelve of the 18 students were evacuated from the bus and were hospitalised.

The incident renewed concerns over monsoon preparedness and the vulnerability of ageing infrastructure and public spaces during periods of intense rainfall.

Mumbai continued to receive heavy showers on Tuesday, with rainfall intensity reported to be higher in suburban areas than in the island city.

The downpour disrupted normal life in several pockets and affected road traffic during peak hours.

Traffic movement slowed across multiple routes, while the Andheri subway was temporarily shut after it became heavily inundated due to continuous rainfall.

Waterlogging led to traffic diversions and delays before authorities said water levels had begun receding and conditions were expected to normalise gradually.

ORANGE ALERT IN MUMBAI

The weather department has issued an orange alert for Mumbai till Saturday, warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall across the city and adjoining areas.

Despite the current wet spell, June rainfall remained below seasonal averages. Colaba recorded 441 mm of rain during the month, around 18 per cent below normal, while Santacruz received 416.4 mm, marking a deficit of nearly 22 per cent.

With forecasts indicating continued rainfall over the coming days, authorities are expected to remain on alert, monitor vulnerable structures and low-lying areas, and advise residents to exercise caution during periods of intense rain.