The death toll in a building collapse in India’s financial hub of Mumbai rose to 34 on Friday with rescuers finding more bodies in the rubble during operations overnight, police said.
A century-old, five-storey building collapsed after torrential rains in the congested Bhendi Bazar market area on Thursday, trapping some 10 families inside.
“Rescue teams found over a dozen more bodies in operation since Thursday night, taking the death toll to 34,” police spokesman Samadhan Chaudhary said by phone from Mumbai. The victims included three children.
“Seventeen people were rescued. They had sustained injuries and were treated at local hospitals. We estimate one or two more people might still be trapped,” he added.
Disaster management staff, police and firefighters were involved in the search for survivors. Special machines and earth-moving equipment were employed in removing the debris and cutting the concrete structure.
State authorities have ordered a probe as the building was deemed unsafe six years ago but families had continued to stay on despite being issued eviction notices.
It was the first major building collapse after Mumbai was lashed by the heaviest rains in 12 years on Tuesday, which killed at least 11 people.
There have been three building collapses in Mumbai over the past two months. In July, 17 people were killed when a four-storey building collapsed in the Ghatkopar suburbs.
