(Bombay) Twelve people were killed and at least sixty injured when a billboard fell toppled Monday by a strong storm in Bombay, announced the municipal authorities of the financial capital of India located in the west from the country.
Dozens of people were trapped under the sign which fell near a gas station in the east of the city.
Eight bodies have been pulled out from the rubble, said Gaurav Chauhan, inspector of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), adding that four more remains need to be removed.
“We have located them, but we cannot extract them because of this gas pump, the situation can be dangerous,” the inspector said.
PHOTO PUNIT PARANJPE, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Earlier, municipal authorities reported 60 people rescued and admitted to hospital.
The billboard measured 70 meters by 50 meters, according to a message posted on X by the Mumbai police.
On Thursday, Mumbai was hit by severe weather with downpours and dust storms that uprooted trees and caused brief power outages and disruptions to train traffic.
According to media reports, flights were suspended at Mumbai International Airport and at least 15 planes diverted.
According to a message on X from Devendra Fadnavis, number two in the Maharashtra state government, “a high-level investigation has been ordered” into the tragedy.