At Least 90 Feared Trapped in Building Collapse South of Mumbai

A man removes the debris after a five-storey building collapsed in Raigad in the western state of Maharashtra, India, on Aug. 24, 2020. Stringer/Reuters

MUMBAI, India—At least 90 people were feared trapped in the debris of a five-story building which collapsed south of India’s financial capital of Mumbai on Monday, according to police in Maharashtra state.

The building, which comprised around 47 flats, caved in on Monday evening, a police statement said.

Authorities said 28 people were pulled out by rescue teams amid heavy monsoon rains and local residents had joined the operation at the disaster site in Mahad, an industrial town about 125 miles south of Mumbai.

The number of dead is yet to be ascertained.

People are seen near the scene of a five-story building that collapsed in Raigad in the western state of Maharashtra, India, on Aug. 24, 2020. ANI via Reuters

Local TV channels showed footage of the debris with locals and police trying to salvage the trapped people. The TV footage also showed at least one ambulance leaving the area as people surrounding it made frantic phone calls.

Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has assured the local administration of all possible support for speedy rescue and relief work, his office said on Twitter.

By Rajendra Jadhav and Rupam Jain