Six people, including five children, died when a dilapidated residential building collapsed on Sunday in the eastern part of Mumbai, India’s financial capital, officials reported on Monday. Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde confirmed the collapse and said residents were trapped under the debris.

The tragedy occurred amid heavy monsoon rains that have battered Mumbai, flooding roads and forcing school closures. The India Meteorological Department recorded over 200mm (eight inches) of rain within 24 hours, paralyzing parts of the city.

The intense rainfall also triggered landslides on the expressway connecting Mumbai with Pune, leading to its closure and disrupting traffic between the two cities. Television footage showed broken slabs of construction rubble on roads and rainwater dripping from tunnel roofs.

In addition to road transport disruptions, flights and long-distance train services, including those between Mumbai and Pune, were cancelled due to the severe weather conditions.

Sources