Strong winds uproot trees near Shivaji Park, trap workers at Dadar construction site

The workers pose for a selfie in the underground tank while the storm raged above their heads on Monday. PIC/BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

As towering trees came crashing down one after another due to unusually powerful gusts of wind near Shivaji Park in Dadar West on Monday afternoon, a group of workers at a construction site on Dr Madhukar B Raut Road found themselves trapped with nowhere to run.

Mumbai Monsoon Page

With heavy rain lashing the area and no vehicle in sight, panic quickly spread. "We saw four trees crashing down in succession in the lane outside the worksite. We grew worried as soon as we saw the fifth tree fall outside the spot where we have been working for the past few months," said Deepak Pal, a worker.

Tree-clearing ops outside the site near Shivaji Park in Dadar West, a day after the incident

After a tree fell onto the site, engineer Nilesh Shinde made a life-saving call. "He shouted at all of us to stop everything and get inside an underground tank immediately. We didn't even think twice - we just ran," recalled another worker, Prashant Shinde.

The entrance to the tank that provided refuge to the labourers. PICS/RITIKA GONDHALEKAR

The tank, built as part of the ongoing construction project, became an unlikely shelter for the dozen or so frightened labourers. "Inside, we could hear loud crashing sounds from above. We genuinely thought the entire site had collapsed. Those were the longest one-and-a-half hours of our lives," said Nilesh Shinde.

Nilesh Shinde

‘We were stunned'

The workers remained inside until the rain eased and the winds subsided. "When we finally came out, we were stunned. Three trees had fallen onto the site, crushing equipment and damaging portions of the under-construction structure. We realised that if we had stayed outside even for a few more minutes, we would not have survived," said Pal.

Workers take refuge in the underground tank on Monday afternoon. PIC/By Special Arrangement

Despite the extensive damage, every worker escaped unhurt. The tree-clearing operation by the site workers continued until late Tuesday evening.

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