In the third such incident in Mumbai Metropolitan Region since April, a building collapsed in Thane's Mumbra area early this morning, killing at least 10 people, including six children, and injuring 14.
Authorities fear that many more might be trapped under the debris of 33-year-old building 'Shakuntala', which had been declared unfit to live in by the authorities.
Mumbai, Thane and the surrounding areas are receiving heavy rains over the last two weeks.
The three-storey building in Bazarpeth in Mumbra area of Thane district collapsed at about 2 AM when the residents were asleep.
Police rushed to the site at around 2.30 AM. The injured were admitted to Kalsekar Hospital, Shivaji Hospital and Thane Civil Hospital. Seventy personnel of National Disaster Response Force from Mumbai and 50 from Pune are taking part in the rescue operations, equipped with victim-locating cameras, air-lifting bags and bridging units.
Thane District Collector P Velrasu, Police Commissioner K P Raghuvanshi and acting Municipal Commissioner Shaymsunder Patil were at the spot.
The deceased were identified as: Farid Karim Sheikh (28), Karim Abdul Sheikh (32), Makdum Shaikh (32), Mohamad Shabbir Karim Sheikh (6), Mohamad Rohan Firani Farooqui (7), Alia Makdum Sheikh (22), Hamja Sheikh (4 months), Mahek Mulsher Punjabi (2 months), Husna Makdum Shaikh (3) and Taslima Karim Sheikh (3).
The building constructed in the 1980s was owned by one Balaram Mhatre, officials said.
On June 10, a four-storey building collapsed at Mahim in central Mumbai in which 10 people were killed and six injured. Earlier on April 4 this year, an unauthorised building collapsed at Shil-Phata near Mumbra in Thane district, claiming as many as 74 lives and leaving over 60 injured.
