At least 14 people were killed and 74 others injured after a huge billboard fell on them during a thunderstorm in Mumbai, according to local authorities. The billboard collapsed on some houses and a petrol station next to a busy road in the eastern suburb of Ghatkopar following gusty winds and rain on Monday.
Many others were trapped following the incident, with rescue operations continuing till early Tuesday. Mumbai’s municipal corporation said 74 people were taken to hospital with injuries following the accident, of which 31 were discharged.
The rains, accompanied by strong winds, caused the 30-metre-tall (100-foot) billboard located next to a busy road in the Chheda Nagar area of Ghatkopar to fall over a petrol station and some houses on Monday evening.
Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said a high-level inquiry had been ordered into the incident and strict action would be taken against those responsible. The thunderstorm brought traffic to a standstill in parts of the city and disrupted operations at its airport, with at least 15 flights diverted. Rescue workers continued to clear the area on Tuesday, which still had mangled cars and debris. Police are investigating the incident and say the billboard was illegally installed.
Thunderstorms in Gujarat
The India Meteorological Department said there were moderate thunderstorms and light to moderate rainfall in Banaskantha, Patan, Mehsana, Sabarkantha, Ahmedabad, Chhota Udepur, Surendranagar and Rajkot districts. Light thunderstorms and moderate rain was also reported in Gandhinagar, Aravalli, Panchmahal, Dahod, Mahisagar, Narmada, Surat, Junagadh, Amreli, Morbi, Botad, Dang, Tapi, Navsari, Valsad and Bhavnagar districts. Many places in central and north Gujarat also reported hail.
Met department officials said a Western Disturbance has caused a cyclonic circulation over northwest Madhya Pradesh which is giving the state unseasonal rainfall. While a few districts recorded light rain on Sunday, almost all districts in Gujarat except Kutch, Devbhoomi Dwarka and Porbandar reported light to moderate showers on Monday.
