Monsoon Fury Hits Delhi, Mumbai; 11 Feared Trapped in Pune Building Collapse
NEW DELHI: Heavy monsoon rains lashed large parts of India on Wednesday, triggering flash floods, waterlogging and widespread disruption to rail and road transport. A massive rescue operation is underway in Maharashtra’s Pimpri Chinchwad after several workers and at least 11 people were feared trapped beneath a collapsed garbage mound that crashed onto a three-storey administrative building at a waste-to-energy plant feared trapped beneath a collapsed garbage mound in Maharashtra’s Pimpri Chinchwad.
In the national capital, relentless downpours inundated several low-lying areas, leading to severe waterlogging and traffic snarls across the city. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued red and orange alerts, warning of thunderstorms and continued heavy rainfall in the region. After a brief lull, Mumbai witnessed another spell of heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms, leading to delays in suburban train services and causing major inconvenience to commuters during peak office hours.
Rail connectivity remained severely affected across western India. Long-distance train services to Gujarat were disrupted due to waterlogging in the Vasai-Virar section in neighbouring Palghar district and at multiple locations in south Gujarat. Meanwhile, operations on the Mumbai–Pune railway route had yet to be fully restored after landslides earlier struck the Bhor Ghat section.
The high-level review came amid a series of weather-related disasters reported across the country, including flash floods in Jammu’s Doda district, and deadly incidents and widespread disruptions in Maharashtra and Gujarat over the past two days. As the monsoon intensified across several states, Union Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed the situation by speaking with the chief ministers of Kerala, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir. He assured them of the Centre’s full support in tackling the rain-related emergencies.
Authorities remain on high alert as rescue and relief operations continue in the affected regions, with forecasts indicating that heavy rainfall is likely to persist in several parts of the country.
