New Delhi, July 8 -- Heavy monsoon rains lashed large parts of India on Wednesday, triggering flash floods, landslides, building collapses and widespread disruption to road, rail and air transport, as rescue teams battled multiple emergencies across several states. In Maharashtra's Pimpri Chinchwad, at least 16 people were feared trapped after a massive garbage mound collapsed onto a three-storey building. In Delhi, one person died and several others were trapped when an under-construction building collapsed in Rohini amid heavy rain. The downpour also flooded roads in Mumbai, Delhi and Gurugram, disrupted train services across Maharashtra and Gujarat, and prompted the Centre to review the country's monsoon preparedness as rainfall activity intensified.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke with the chief ministers of Kerala, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir to assess the rain-related situation and assured them of all possible assistance from the Centre, officials said. The discussions followed a series of incidents, including the debris collapse at a tunnel project in Kerala's Wayanad, flash floods in Jammu's Doda district and widespread disruptions reported from Maharashtra and Gujarat.
In Pimpri Chinchwad's Moshi area, a huge mound of garbage crashed onto a three-storey structure used as the administrative office of a private company handling waste on behalf of the civic body. A senior official said at least 16 people were feared trapped beneath the debris as rescue teams rushed to the site.
In Delhi, rescue operations continued late into the evening after an under-construction three-storey building collapsed near an MCD school in Sector 16 of Rohini at around 4.20 pm. One worker, identified as Ram, 42, died in the incident, while Saddham, 32, was pulled out alive and admitted to Babasaheb Ambedkar Hospital with fractures to his pelvis and arm. Hospital officials said his condition was stable.
Police said around five more people were still feared trapped beneath the rubble. Teams from the Delhi Police, Delhi Fire Service, National Disaster Response Force, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Revenue Department and other agencies launched a large rescue operation using hydraulic cutters, JCB machines and other specialised equipment.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Rohini) Shashank Jaiswal said rescuers had established contact with one trapped person before pulling him out safely.
"We had called for oxygen beforehand. We reached out to the man and provided him with water. He was rescued safely. We are trying to establish contact with the other people trapped under the rubble and rescue them as quickly as possible," Jaiswal said.
He also clarified reports about a vehicle buried beneath the debris, saying it belonged to a sub-inspector who had escaped moments before the collapse.
Residents rushed to the site immediately after hearing the building come down and began removing bricks, concrete slabs and twisted iron rods with their bare hands before emergency teams arrived. Videos from the scene showed firefighters carefully lifting heavy concrete slabs while trying to maintain contact with those trapped. In one video, a firefighter reassured a trapped man, saying, "Aap chinta mat kariye, aapko bacha lenge sir."
Authorities said every slab had to be removed carefully to prevent a secondary collapse. Police also began investigating the ownership of the building, the number of labourers present and whether construction norms had been followed.
Heavy rain also continued to disrupt daily life across Maharashtra. In Mumbai, showers accompanied by thunderstorms returned after a brief break, delaying suburban train services by 25 to 30 minutes and causing waterlogging in several parts of the city.
Nine Mumbai-bound flights were diverted to nearby airports because of poor visibility and adverse weather conditions before later returning to land safely at Mumbai airport.
Long-distance train services towards Gujarat remained disrupted because of waterlogging in the Vasai-Virar section of neighbouring Palghar district and at several locations in south Gujarat. Rail services on the Mumbai-Pune route were yet to be fully restored after landslides in the Bhor Ghat section.
Central Railway also suspended train services between Neral and Karjat stations in Raigad district for nearly an hour after the overflowing Ulhas river submerged railway tracks. Chief Public Relations Officer Swapnil Nila said the river had been flowing above the danger level since 9.30 am following heavy rainfall in the catchment areas.
Mumbai's water supply reservoirs also continued to fill. Tulsi Lake started overflowing late Tuesday night, hours after nearby Vihar Lake overflowed, civic officials said. The India Meteorological Department forecast intermittent light to moderate rainfall over Mumbai and its suburbs.
In Nashik district, rising water levels in the Godavari river raised concerns after continuous rainfall. The district administration advised people living along the Godavari, Kadva and Girna rivers to move valuables, livestock and other belongings to safer locations as water continued to be released from reservoirs, including Palkhed and the Nandur Madhmeshwar weir.
The rain situation also led to heated exchanges in the Maharashtra Assembly. Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray questioned environmental issues during discussions on the monsoon situation, asking, "Will there be a debate on mangroves and forests being cut. Will you say this was an act of God?"
Delhi also witnessed widespread waterlogging after torrential rain. The IMD issued red and orange alerts, warning of thunderstorms, lightning and heavy rainfall, with wind speeds expected to reach 40 kmph.
Areas including Sadar Bazar, Nasirpur, Greater Kailash, Badarpur, Teliwara, Mahavir Bazar, Swarup Nagar and Kushak Road were inundated, forcing pedestrians to wade through knee-high water in several places.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi and the New Delhi Municipal Council received at least 10 complaints related to waterlogging, fallen trees and power disruptions. Traffic slowed significantly on Ring Road, Outer Ring Road and National Highway 48 near Dhaula Kuan, Mahipalpur and Rajokri because of reduced visibility and flooded stretches.
Neighbouring Gurugram also experienced severe traffic congestion as waterlogged roads left vehicles stranded. Traffic moved slowly on the service lane of the Delhi-Jaipur Highway near Narsinghpur, Basai, Umang Bhardwaj Chowk, Kadipur, Sector 10A, Sohna Road and other major routes.
In Himachal Pradesh, flash floods disrupted connectivity in parts of Rampur subdivision of Shimla district. Rising water levels damaged a temporary bridge over the Ganvi Khad stream, cutting off access to the Kyao and Kut panchayats. Videos circulating on social media showed stranded commuters waiting on both sides of the stream while local residents worked to clear stones and restore the route.
Rajasthan also remained under the grip of an active southwest monsoon. Ramganj Mandi in Kota district recorded the state's highest rainfall of 10 cm. The IMD said a well-marked low-pressure area over northwestern Madhya Pradesh and adjoining Uttar Pradesh was likely to keep widespread rainfall active across Rajasthan for the next two to three days.
Amid the widespread weather-related disruptions, the Centre said the country's overall rainfall deficit had narrowed to 12 per cent by July 7 after above-normal rainfall during the first week of July. During a high-level review meeting chaired by Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister P K Mishra, the IMD informed officials that although the monsoon arrived about 10 days late in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra, rainfall had improved significantly.
The PMO said weak to moderate El Nino conditions were expected during July and August but noted that an El Nino year does not necessarily result in below-normal rainfall. Officials reviewed preparedness across sectors, including agriculture, water resources, health, fertilisers, food supplies and rural development, while directing ministries and states to continue close monitoring of vulnerable districts and ensure timely response to any emerging challenges throughout the monsoon season.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.