EFE 07/03/2019

EFE - INDIA RAINS - At least 23 dead, transport services down as torrential rains batter Mumbai

New Delhi, Jul 2 (EFE).- Torrential rains that have been battering the eastern Indian state of Maharashtra in recent days have left at least 23 people dead and affected transportation. The intense rainfall caused the collapse of a wall in a slum area during the early hours of Tuesday, killing at least 14 people, Mumbai police officer Suresh Yerkar told Efe. Several people were also injured in the incident. The office of the head of the Maharashtra government reported another nine deaths, six of them in the city of Pune, and another three in Kalyan, all due to the rain. Many public schools have suspended classes over security concerns for Mumbai’s citizens, the local government said. Serious damage was reported to the electrical services, while the transportation service was partially affected by the closure of the streets due to the flooding of roads, the local government office said on Twitter. Rail services were also suspended. Firefighters evacuated between 400-500 people who were trapped on trains that could not move along the tracks due to heavy rains, the Mumbai’s fire department told Efe. The international airport of Mumbai, one of the most important in the country, announced the suspension of all flights for up to 48 hours and the diversion of routes to the nearest terminals. The India Meteorological Department forecasts that rain will continue with the same intensity over the coming days. Meteorological incidents are common in South Asia during periods of the most intense monsoon rains between July and August, when they usually leave hundreds dead and millions of affected in the region. On Saturday, 15 people died when a wall collapsed in one of the suburbs of Pune, also in Maharashtra following of heavy rainfall. EFE mvg/sh -- EPA-EFE Multimedia Desk, Madrid +34 913 467 493