8 injured as tree collapses during inspection in Mumbai's Santacruz; city logs 91 tree-fall complaints

MUMBAI: Eight people were injured after a tree collapsed while a team led by a civic corporator from Santacruz Hetal Gala was inspecting another tree in the same area that had fallen from a private redevelopment site.

The tree was located on relief road in Santacruz (West).The incident took place on Thursday afternoon, even as heavy rain and gusty winds triggered dozens of tree-fall incidents across the city.According to Gala, civic personnel had reached the premises of a private building to inspect a tree that had already fallen when another adjacent tree suddenly came crashing down on them. "A stop work notice is currently given to the redevelopment work site," said Gala.The injured were identified as Noor Alam, 26, Rajesh Kudal, 51, Vinay Kadam, 38, Suleman Shaikh, 28, Vinod Bhat, 46, Devash Sah, 28, Jagdish Nikam, 28, and Nilad Tulhe, 67. All eight were admitted to Nanavati Hospital, where their condition was stated to be stable.The accident came on a day when incessant rain and strong winds kept the city's emergency services on their toes. The BMC said it received 91 complaints of fallen trees and branches across Mumbai by Thursday evening, including 13 in the island city, 22 in the eastern suburbs and 56 in the western suburbs.Civic officials said all complaints had been assigned to the respective ward offices, and teams were deployed to remove fallen trees and branches and clear affected roads.