14 Dead, At Least 70 Injured As City Billboard Collapses Amidst Strong Winds

• Authorities said that several houses, vehicles, and a petrol station were trapped during the Monday, May 13 incident
• Seventy-four people sustained injuries and 31 people were discharged from the hospital as they sustained minor injuries
• The National Disaster Response Force said rescuing those trapped in the petrol station was a challenge

Nancy Odindo, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings more than three years of experience covering politics, news, and feature stories across digital and print media in Kenya.

Mumbai - The financial city of India was rocked by a devastating incident as a giant billboard measuring 70m by 50m abruptly collapsed during heavy rains accompanied by storms claiming the lives of at least 14 people.

According to police reports, the tragedy unfolded on Monday, May 13, when the towering structure toppled onto a petrol station and nearby residences, and trapped numerous vehicles.

According to the Washington Post, the authorities reported facing challenges in pulling out some bodies trapped at the gas station due to fear of causing more harm.

"We have located them but we cannot remove them due to this petrol pump and the situation can be hazardous," Gaurav Chauhan, an inspector with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), said.

The toll of the disaster extends beyond the fatalities, with at least 70 individuals sustaining injuries requiring urgent medical attention.

Amidst the chaos, 31 people have been discharged from the hospital following the wreckage, offering a glimmer of hope amidst the devastation.

How did the Mumbai billboard come down?

Eyewitness footage captured by local news channels depicts the immense billboard swaying precariously in the gusts before succumbing to gravity, crashing into buildings along a bustling thoroughfare in the eastern suburb of Ghatkopar.

In the aftermath, emergency response teams can be seen navigating through the debris, as they extract victims from beneath the fallen structure, employing power tools to cut through metal.

Nearly 80 people rescued from cracking 8-storey building

Meanwhile, in Kenya, nearly 80 people were evacuated from a building that nearly collapsed in the South B area in Nairobi.

Governor Johnson Sakaja's protocol officer said the building had accommodated 24 safely evacuated families and the houses neighbouring the region.

He confirmed that the building was still under construction and the landlord confirmed that his contractor had messed up.

Proofreading by Nyambura Guthua, journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke