In a tragic incident in Mumbai, a massive billboard collapsed during a sudden thunderstorm, resulting in the deaths of at least 14 people, as reported by local authorities on Tuesday.
The collapse, which occurred late Monday, also caused injuries to 74 people, who were subsequently hospitalized. Rescue operations continued into Tuesday morning to locate an unknown number of individuals still trapped. According to a post by Mumbai police on X, the “sudden storm and heavy rain” led to the fall of the 220-foot-by-160-foot billboard onto a gas station in the Ghatkopar area.
The billboard’s collapse damaged the gas station’s roof along one of Mumbai's busiest highways, causing traffic chaos and crushing several vehicles. Fortunately, no explosions or fires were reported.
Footage from the scene showed cranes dismantling the billboard's metal structure while rescuers worked to extract survivors. Nikhil Mudholkar, assistant commandant of India’s disaster relief agency, mentioned that 31 of the 74 injured had already been discharged from the hospital.
Mudholkar added that the presence of the gas station complicated rescue efforts, as gasoline-based cutting equipment could not be used.
The severe storm and high winds halted many activities in Mumbai, affecting airport operations and resulting in up to 3 inches of rain in some areas within two hours, according to the city’s municipal authority.
Infrastructure issues remain a significant challenge in Mumbai, a city of 22 million that frequently suffers from severe flooding during the June-to-September monsoon season. Landslides and road collapses in Maharashtra, the surrounding state, claim numerous lives annually.
Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Eknath Shinde, announced a compensation of $6,000 for the families of those who died, as conveyed by his deputy, Devendra Fadnavis, on X. An investigation into the incident has been launched, amid concerns over potential safety regulation breaches by the billboard.
“Strict action will be taken against those responsible,” Fadnavis declared.