At least six persons were killed and one sustained injuries when a three-storey chawl (row tenement) collapsed in Mumbai's Mankhurd area amid heavy rains on Sunday night.
Torrential rainfall caused widespread destruction across Mumbai and Pune as it triggered landslides, flooding and widespread disruption to road and rail traffic on Monday.
One person is feared trapped under the debris, and a multi-agency operation, including personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), is underway to locate him, officials said.
According to officials from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), four women and a man were brought dead to the civic-run Shatabdi Hospital. Another man was declared dead at Rajawadi Hospital.
One injured man is being treated at the BMC-run Rajawadi Hospital.
The incident occurred at Chawl No. 5 in Janta Nagar, behind Hanuman Mandir, in the Mandala locality at around 8.30 pm on Sunday.
According to preliminary information, two to three tenements forming part of the three-storey structure caved in, prompting a rescue operation by personnel from the Mumbai Fire Brigade, police, the BMC ward office and 108 ambulance services.
A team from the NDRF had also arrived at the scene.
Local BJP corporator Navnath Ban said one more person is missing. He said the structure collapsed onto an adjoining hut on the collector's land and that the rescue operation is being hampered by heavy rains.
Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed profound grief over the incident and paid tribute to the victims. Sharing condolences with the bereaved families, he announced an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh each to the next of kin of those killed in the collapse.
Meanwhile, torrential rainfall caused widespread destruction across Mumbai and Pune as it triggered landslides, flooding and widespread disruption to road and rail traffic on Monday.
Traffic on both the Pune-Mumbai Expressway and the old Pune-Mumbai highway was suspended on Monday due to heavy downpour, police said.
The authorities appealed to citizens to avoid travelling between Pune and Mumbai until further orders, citing safety concerns.
In a public advisory, police said traffic in both directions on the Pune-Mumbai Expressway and the old highway had been stopped until further notice.
"Citizens are requested not to undertake any journey between Pune and Mumbai until further directions are issued. Those planning to travel are advised to postpone their journey and follow traffic advisories and updates issued by government agencies," the advisory said.
Police said flood-like conditions had developed in parts of Maval and Tamhini Ghat, affecting alternate routes connecting Pune and Mumbai.
According to police, the Pune-Mumbai Expressway has been closed between the Connecting Link and Missing Link sections after a concrete pillar fell on the carriageway.
The old Pune-Mumbai highway has also been shut due to overflowing water at multiple locations, they said.
Police said there was a landslide at Patan village near Lohgad Fort, where a family was reportedly trapped in the affected area. A rescue operation has been launched, they added.
The Pune district administration has declared a holiday for all schools following heavy rains.
Traffic on the Pune-to-Mumbai carriageway of the Khopoli-Kusgaon 'Missing Link' alignment was diverted early Monday following a landslide near the exit of Tunnel 2 amid heavy rains, officials said.
The Mumbai-Pune Expressway Missing Link, opened two months ago, is a 13-km bypass that cuts through the Sahyadri mountains, reducing travel distance by 6 km and shaving 25 to 30 minutes off the commute.
The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRDC) said a traffic diversion has been in place since 4 am on Monday as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of commuters.
The corporation said it was closely monitoring the situation in coordination with the Highway Traffic Police and advised motorists to avoid travelling on the route unless necessary.
A motorist travelling to Mumbai from Sangli in western Maharashtra told PTI that they had been stuck near Lonavala since 4 am after the Mumbai-bound traffic on the Missing Link was diverted.
"As the Missing Link was closed for traffic, we came via Lonavala and are now stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the Expressway in the section passing through Lonavala city," he said.
The highway traffic police control room said traffic on the Khandala Ghat section of the expressway has been disrupted due to waterlogging and landslides.
The heavy rainfall also severely affected railway services.
Train services on the busy Mumbai-Pune route were suspended early Monday after heavy rains triggered landslides in the Karjat-Lonavala Bhor Ghat section, officials said.
A landslide occurred near Thakurwadi in the ghat section, Central Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Swapnil Nila told PTI. Another landslide was reported on the middle line between Khandala and Monkey Hill at around 3.05 am, he added.
Due to the landslides, all three railway lines have been affected, forcing Central Railway to cancel, divert and regulate several long-distance trains, Nila said.
The Mumbai-Pune railway route has three tracks in the difficult Bhor Ghat section (Khandala Ghat): the Up line (towards Mumbai), Down line (towards Pune), and a Middle line.
"Due to incessant heavy rainfall in the South East Ghat section between Karjat and Lonavala, a landslide occurred between Thakurvadi and Monkey Hill Loop Cabin on the Up Main Line of Mumbai Division," Nila said.
The disruptions led to the cancellation of several trains, including the CSMT-Pune Indrayani Express, Intercity Express, Deccan Express, Deccan Queen, Pragati Express and Dhule Express.
Additional services, including the Pune-CSMT Sinhagad Express, were also cancelled, while several long-distance trains were diverted, short-terminated, short-originated or rescheduled, officials said.
Local trains on the Western Railway network were running 15 to 20 minutes behind schedule due to waterlogging between Vasai Road and Virar stations in neighbouring Palghar district, a Western Railway spokesperson said.
Tracks were submerged at a few locations, including the Palghar and Virar-Vasai Road sections, slowing train movement, as per sources.
Passengers were advised to factor in additional travel time while planning their journeys.
Railway authorities said restoration work was underway and advised passengers to check the latest train status before commencing their journey.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast more downpours during the day.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) declared a holiday for all schools and colleges in Mumbai on Monday as a precautionary measure in view of the forecast of heavy rain.
Government offices and private establishments remained open, with employees reporting for work despite disruptions to rail and road transport caused by the rain.
Due to gusty winds, several tree fall incidents were reported in Mumbai since morning, officials said.
The IMD has forecast continuous spells of rain in Mumbai and suburbs during the day, with very heavy rainfall at a few places and extremely heavy rainfall at isolated locations including Mumbai, Thane and Raigad districts.
The weather office has also predicted occasional gusty winds reaching speeds of 60-70 kmph.
In the 24 hours ending at 8 am on Monday, the island city recorded an average rainfall of 105.24 mm, while the eastern and western suburbs received 161.11 mm and 159.40 mm, respectively, according to the BMC.
A high tide of 4.08 metres is expected at 3.56 pm on Monday, while another high tide of 3.44 metres is likely at 4.38 am on Tuesday.
Low tides of 1.52 metres and 1.86 metres are expected at 10.13 pm on Monday and 9.59 am on Tuesday, respectively, the civic body said.