Heavy monsoon rains triggered a landslide in a densely populated neighbourhood in Mumbai, killing at least seven people and injuring four others, authorities said.
The landslide struck before dawn on Wednesday when a section of hillside collapsed onto several homes in a tightly packed cluster of houses in Mumbai’s suburb of Ghatkopar, said Tanaji Kambli, a civic official.
Authorities immediately launched a rescue operation involving firefighters, police, the National Disaster Response Force and civic officials, but efforts were hampered by narrow access lanes that prevented the use of heavy machinery, officials said.
Rescue teams pulled at least 10 people from the debris and rushed them to a government hospital. Six people, including two children and two teenagers, were declared dead on arrival, Tanaji said. Four others were hospitalised and receiving treatment.
Rescuers recovered a body later on Wednesday, bringing the death toll to seven, Tanaji said.
One person was still believed to be missing, according to local residents, as crews continued clearing the debris, he added.
Ritu Tawde, the mayor of Mumbai, visited the area and announced monetary compensation for the families of the victims.
The weather department has forecast more active monsoon conditions across western India. Authorities have urged residents in flood- and landslide-prone areas to remain alert.
Mumbai, a city of more than 20 million people, receives some of its heaviest rainfall between June and September.
Experts have long warned that rapid urbanisation, construction on fragile hillsides, and poor drainage have left Mumbai increasingly vulnerable to deadly monsoon-related disasters, with climate change adding to those risks by bringing heavier, more unpredictable rainfall. — AP
