05 July,2026 09:54 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
The string of incidents over the past five days has once again highlighted Mumbai`s recurring monsoon challenges. File Pic
Five days of relentless monsoon showers have exposed Mumbai's vulnerabilities once again, with downpours, gusty winds, and rain-related incidents claiming at least five lives while disrupting normal life across the city.
Since June 30, Mumbai has witnessed fatalities caused by a balcony collapse, a tree falling on a school bus, an open manhole, and uprooted trees, even as civic authorities battled waterlogging, tree falls, and transport disruptions. The incidents have renewed concerns over ageing infrastructure, civic preparedness, and public safety during the monsoon season.
The first major tragedy of the spell occurred late on June 30, when a portion of the third-floor balcony of Surya Prakash Building, a ground-plus-three-storey MHADA-cessed structure on Babulnath Road in Walkeshwar, collapsed.
Santosh Ramchandra Bharaskar (51), one of the residents, was rushed to JJ Hospital, but was declared brought dead.
On July 1, an 11-year-old student lost his life after an old peepal tree crashed onto a school bus in Chembur.
The accident occurred near Road No 11 as the bus, carrying 13 students from Universal High School, was dropping students home.
Emergency responders rescued trapped children and shifted five injured students to hospital, where one of them, later identified as Vihan Srivastava, succumbed to his injuries during treatment. Four other students, including a four-year-old girl, survived with injuries.
The incident triggered fresh debate over the condition of roadside trees during the monsoon and the need for preventive pruning.
The next day, another tragedy unfolded in Sakinaka when 55-year-old labourer Aslam Shaikh allegedly fell into an uncovered manhole on Kherani Road while speaking on his mobile phone.
Residents alleged that civic work was underway in the area but the manhole had been left open without barricades or warning signs.
Teams from the BMC, Mumbai Fire Brigade, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and Mumbai Police carried out a rescue operation lasting more than two hours before recovering his body. CCTV footage of the incident went viral, prompting widespread criticism of civic safety measures.
On July 4, another rain-related accident claimed the life of 20-year-old Hasan Raza Aahangir Ali Sayyed, who was riding a motorcycle through Aarey Colony when a tree branch suddenly fell onto the vehicle. His pillion rider sustained injuries.
The very next day, another life was lost on Sunday after a tree collapsed onto a shop in Kurla West, as heavy rain and strong winds intensified over the weekend.
The incident occurred near Gomes Town Building at Kamani, where Yunus Kundawala (63) was trapped after the tree crashed onto the structure. He was rushed to Fauzia Hospital but was declared brought dead.
Mumbai experienced heavy rainfall accompanied by strong winds reaching up to 77 kmph in parts of the city and suburbs.
According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), more than 250 complaints of fallen trees and branches were received on Sunday alone. A portion of a hill slope slipped in Antop Hill after trees were uprooted, while an unoccupied ground-plus-three-storey building collapsed in Worli without causing injuries.
The civic body also recorded 15 short-circuit incidents across Mumbai. BEST bus routes were diverted at multiple locations because of fallen trees, although suburban railway services largely continued to function without major disruption.
The string of incidents over the past five days has once again highlighted Mumbai's recurring monsoon challenges. From ageing buildings and vulnerable roadside trees to uncovered manholes and weather-related accidents, the city's infrastructure has come under scrutiny despite civic agencies maintaining that emergency response teams remained on high alert throughout the spell.
With the India Meteorological Department continuing to forecast intermittent heavy rainfall over the coming days, authorities have urged residents to remain cautious, avoid waterlogged areas, steer clear of damaged structures and trees during high winds, and follow official weather advisories.
