Mumbai, May 22 (UNI) A 43-year-old man sustained multiple injuries after a tree toppled onto several parked vehicles near Kinjal Tower on N M Joshi Marg area of Byculla in south-central Mumbai during heavy rain on Wednesday night, officials said here on Thursday.
The victim, identified as Shahnawaz Shaikh, suffered wounds to his head, chest and back.
Passersby rushed him to the civic-run Nair Hospital, where he was admitted and is currently reported to be in stable condition.
The incident underscores the risks posed by aging and weakened trees during heavy rainfall in the city.
In a separate incident the previous evening, two people were seriously injured after a Gulmohar tree collapsed near Jal Vayu Vihar, Sector C, Powai, close to S M Shetty School.
The Mumbai Fire Brigade confirmed the tree fell around 8:40 pm, severely injuring Shobha Torne (51) and her husband Prashant Torne (54), who works as a watchman in the area.
In this incident, Shobha sustained significant head and shoulder injuries, while sharp edges from the fallen tree pierced Prashant’s arms. Both were initially in serious condition but are now reported to be out of danger and receiving medical care.
Officials from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) stated that the Gulmohar tree stood on private property, and the housing society had been granted permission to trim it in March. However, the tree had not been cut, and the recent heavy rains likely weakened its base, causing the collapse.
Civic authorities have urged residents and housing societies to act promptly on such permissions to prevent similar accidents.
These incidents come amid ongoing warnings from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), which has forecast heavy rainfall, accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning, over the coming days. The IMD noted the formation of an upper air cyclonic circulation over the east-central Arabian Sea off the Karnataka coast on May 21. This system is expected to intensify and move northwards, resulting in increased rainfall across Maharashtra until May 25.
Recent pre-monsoon showers have already caused flooding and waterlogging in several Mumbai neighborhoods, including Andheri, Dahisar, Borivali, Bandra, Kurla, Powai and Saki Naka, disrupting traffic and daily life. Key areas such as D N Nagar and Chakala experienced flood-like conditions, forcing the closure of the Andheri Subway, a vital connector between Andheri East and West, leading to severe traffic congestion during peak hours.
The heavy rainfall recorded across the city has been uneven, with Jogeshwari receiving 63 mm, Andheri (Malpa Dongri) 57 mm, and Andheri East 40 mm by 8 pm on Tuesday.
The eastern suburbs saw Powai receive 38 mm, Bhandup 29 mm and Tembhi Pada 27 mm in the same period.
Overall, the island city recorded an average rainfall of 12.86 mm, while the eastern and western suburbs received 15.65 mm and 26.63 mm, respectively, over three hours.
The BMC continues to monitor the situation closely, urging residents to exercise caution as the monsoon season approaches and weather conditions remain volatile.
UNI AAA SS