2 More Die In Mumbai Tree-Fall Incidents
Mumbai: Tree falling incidents due to heavy rainfall continued to wreak havoc in Mumbai this monsoon, with two more deaths reported due to such incidents. There have been three deaths in the city so far in less than a week due to falling trees since the rains arrived.
On Sunday, 63-year-old Yunus Kundawala died after a tree collapsed on him. The incident took place around 12.40 pm near Indian BMC School in Naupada area of Kurla West.
The person was rescued from under the fallen tree and taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Security cameras from the incident show the tree hitting the victim. Municipal teams later removed the tree and cleaned the area.
In a separate incident, an 18-year-old boy died when a tree branch fell on him while he was riding a motorbike in Aarey Colony. A civic official said the incident occurred on Saturday afternoon but was reported to authorities on Sunday.
The victim, Kumar Hasan Raza Jahangir Alam Syed, was traveling on a motorcycle with his friends when a tree branch broke and fell on his head. The young man, who lost consciousness, was immediately taken to the hospital and doctors declared him dead.
In the first casualty due to falling trees, 11-year-old Vihaan Srivastava died and four children were injured when a tree collapsed on the bus while returning home on June 30.
This monsoon, Mumbai has witnessed numerous incidents of tree falling in the last few days; Large branches and trees fell on roads and vehicles. This has raised concerns about the overall health of trees in the city, as experts note that unplanned construction and problems that inhibit root growth, such as concrete slabs, are factors that cause trees to gradually weaken over time, even if they appear structurally sound on the surface.
At a time when tree falling incidents are increasing, Mayor Ritu Tawde appealed to Mumbaikars not to go out unless necessary and to stay away from trees.
Tawde took to
“Please do not go out unnecessarily, stay away from trees, park vehicles in safe places and do not believe rumors,” he appealed.
BMC also warned X to be careful, saying, “Trees may fall down due to strong wind. Please do not stand under trees or park vehicles at these hours.”
In another rain-related death, a 55-year-old man died after falling into an open drain during heavy rain in Mumbai’s Sakinaka area on July 2. Taking serious notice of the situation, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) suspended four officials.
