Tragedy Strikes Mumbai: 14 Dead in Hoarding Collapse:
Amid strong winds and a dust storm that swept through Mumbai’s Ghatkopar early Monday evening, a sizable hoarding collapsed, claiming the lives of fourteen individuals and leaving at least 76 others injured. Captured in a dramatic video, a 100-feet white billboard crashed down onto a petrol station in Ghatkopar East. Meanwhile, heavy rains and gusty winds battered several areas of Mumbai and neighboring districts on Monday, leading to disruptions in Metro and local train services.
Watch the video here:
#WATCH I A large billboard collapsed in Ghatkopar during the dust storm that whipped through the city this afternoon. This post will be updated with information about those injured, if any. Video sourced by @RajuShinde09 pic.twitter.com/1GEJT4wfCE
— HTMumbai (@HTMumbai) May 13, 2024
Amid the unfolding chaos, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued urgent warnings, predicting thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and intense rainfall for Mumbai and its surrounding areas.
#DustStorm over Lower Parel. #MumbaiRains pic.twitter.com/eVBz2JUsrP
— Mumbai Weather (@IndiaWeatherMan) May 13, 2024
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde personally visited the site of the collapse, offering assurance that his government would undertake a comprehensive structural audit of all hoardings across the city. Additionally, the Chief Minister announced financial aid of ₹5 lakh to the families of each individual who lost their lives in the tragic hoarding collapse.
