Several feared trapped after building collapses in Mumbai

MUMBAI - Several people are feared to be trapped under debris after a multi-storey building in India's financial capital, Mumbai, collapsed on Thursday evening (July 16) amid heavy rains in the city.

A dilapidated ground plus five floored structure in the south of the city was already undergoing repairs and residents had been asked to evacuate, but five to six families continued to live there, eyewitnesses told television channels.

Some people are trapped under the debris, while several are stranded in the part of the building that continues to stand, the city's chief fire officer PS Rahangdale said in a statement.

"Search and rescue operation is on using search cameras and other heavy equipment," he added.

Each year in Mumbai, a number of small and large instances of "too dangerous to live" structures collapse amid the heavy rainfall the city receives.

The city has had intense rains over the past few days.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued an "orange alert" in the city and its neighbouring areas which was upgraded to "red" earlier in the day.

Eight fire engines, two rescue vans and ambulances rushed to the site of the collapse along with several officers, Rahangdale said.

The National Disaster Response Force was also at the site but there were no details available on the number of people trapped or casualties.

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In a separate incident earlier in the day, another building collapsed in a western suburb of Malad, killing one and injuring several others.