A portion of a security wall belonging to a private firm in the Wagle Estate area collapsed in the early hours of Thursday as heavy rains lashed the city, a civic official confirmed. The incident occurred around 12:30 a.m. outside the premises of Equinox Pvt Ltd, according to Yasin Tadvi, chief of the disaster management cell of the Thane Municipal Corporation. While two cars and an auto rickshaw parked nearby were damaged due to the collapse, fortunately, no injuries were reported.
"The wall appears to have given way due to the continuous downpour. Emergency teams were immediately deployed to the site," said Tadvi. In the interest of public safety, the affected area has been cordoned off and barricaded to prevent any further incidents. Authorities are assessing the structural integrity of the remaining parts of the wall and are expected to take preventive measures to avoid any similar occurrences in the future. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted thunderstorms and moderate-to-heavy rains in Mumbai till Saturday.
On Tuesday evening, the sudden rainfall and subsequent flooding brought traffic to a grinding halt in areas like Powai in Mumbai. An incident of tree felling near Jalvayu Complex sparked chaos, prompting the administration to direct commuters to use alternative routes. No injuries were reported due to the tree felling. The Andheri subway was completely submerged in water due to the heavy rains. A team of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation rushed to the spot to remove the water through drainage machines. Similar scenes were witnessed in Pune, with water leakage being reported at the city's airport.
Local residents claimed water from unclean drains overflowed onto the streets. In Mira-Bhayandar in Thane district, heavy rains started at around 7.30pm. It was accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning. Instances of strong lightning were reported near Maheshwari Bhavan in Bhayander West.