Mumbai Mankhurd Chawl Collapse: 6 Dead after heavy rains trigger building disaster
At least 6 people, including 5 children, were killed after a four-storey chawl collapsed in Mumbai's Mankhurd area on Sunday night amid relentless monsoon rains that have battered the city over the past several days. Rescue teams worked through the night to clear debris and search for anyone feared trapped under the rubble.
The incident occurred around 8.30 pm at Chawl No. 5 in Janta Nagar, behind Hanuman Mandir, when a portion of the ground-plus-three-storey structure suddenly gave way, crashing onto an adjoining ground-floor shanty. Officials said the deceased included five children aged between two and 14 years and a 32-year-old woman. One person also sustained injuries and was shifted to hospital for treatment.
According to civic officials, some residents had reportedly vacated the ageing structure earlier in the day after noticing signs of instability. However, several families returned later in the evening, only hours before the collapse. The tragedy has once again raised concerns over the safety of dilapidated buildings in Mumbai during the monsoon season.
Personnel from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Mumbai Fire Brigade, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), police and other emergency agencies rushed to the site and launched a rescue operation despite heavy rain and difficult conditions. Authorities used excavators and manual equipment to remove debris while ensuring no one remained trapped.
The collapse came as Mumbai witnessed one of its heaviest spells of monsoon rain in decades, triggering flooding, tree falls, landslides and severe disruption to road and rail traffic. The state government has announced financial assistance for the victims' families, while Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said an investigation would be conducted into the circumstances surrounding the collapse and assured that all necessary support would be provided.
The disaster has renewed calls for urgent structural audits of old residential buildings and stricter enforcement of safety measures before and during the monsoon season, as authorities continue to monitor vulnerable structures across the city.
