Landslides, wall and bridge collapse incidents in Thane, Palghar amid heavy rains

Multiple incidents of landslide, wall and bridge collapse were reported in Thane city and neighbouring Palghar district in Maharashtra which were lashed by heavy rains on Wednesday, officials said.

While no casualties were reported in these incidents, at least six vehicles were damaged after trees fell on them during the downpour, said Santosh Kadam, the chief of the Thane Municipal Corporation’s (TMC) regional disaster management cell.

Landslides were reported at Panvel-Kalwa road and Mumbra Bypass Road, both in Mumbra, the official said, adding rescue teams rushed to the scene to clear the roads and ensure smooth movement of vehicles. Apart from this, three incidents of wall collapse occurred in Thane city, but no casualty was reported. Compound walls of two housing complexes in Savarkar Nagar and Manorama Nagar collapsed due to the rains, but no one was injured, Santosh Kadam said. Another wall collapse incident took place in the Mumbra area of Thane city, he said.

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A bridge in Kolgaon village of Palghar district collapsed amid the downpour, said the Chief of the District Disaster Management Cell Vivekanand Kadam. No one was injured in the bridge collapse, but transport link to villages around the bridge was cut off, Vivekanand Kadam said. As per reports from the Thane district administration, low-lying areas in Kalyan, Dombivili, Ambernath, Badlapur, and Bhiwandi cities of the district were inundated following incessant showers.

There were as many as 55 cases of water logging in Thane city, Santosh Kadam said. Thane mayor Naresh Mhaske and municipal commissioner Dr Vipin Sharma took stock of the situation, while district Guardian Minister Eknath Shinde visited the RDMC and the disaster control cell at the district collectorate to assess the situation.

Meanwhile, flooding was reported in the low-lying of Palghar in the Mira-Bhayander and Vasai-Virar belt. However, no major rain-related accidents were reported in the district, the CEO of the Disaster Management Cell at Palghar Dr Kiran Mahajan said. The authorities have suspended Covid-19 vaccination in both districts as heavy rains are expected in the regions in the coming days.