Six killed in Mumbai building collapse as monsoon rains flood city

MUMBAI: Six people, including five children, were killed after a residential building collapsed in Mumbai as intense monsoon rains battered India’s financial capital, according to city officials.

Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde said in a statement that the ageing building came down on Sunday in the eastern part of the city, trapping residents beneath the rubble. The fatalities were reported as heavy rain disrupted life across large parts of the metropolis.

The India Meteorological Department recorded more than 200 millimetres, or 7.8 inches, of rainfall in 24 hours. The downpour flooded roads and paralysed parts of the city, prompting authorities to announce a holiday on Monday for all schools and colleges.

The weather office also issued a red alert for Mumbai for Monday, warning that heavy rain and strong winds were likely to continue. Mayor Tawde urged residents to remain indoors where possible, cautioning that powerful winds could bring down trees and branches.

The rains followed weeks of extreme heat in Mumbai. Last month, authorities imposed restrictions on water use and reduced supplies to swimming pools and construction sites.

India’s annual monsoon is critical for hundreds of millions of people who depend on it to support agriculture and industry. At the same time, changing climate patterns are making the country hotter, while this year’s El Nino weather phenomenon has led to warnings of reduced rainfall.

The city, home to more than 20 million people, is also facing concern over pressure on water resources linked to expanding data-centre infrastructure, whose substantial cooling needs could further strain supplies.