In 6 days, Mumbai’s tree falls outstrip incidents of entire monsoon season

The tree which collapsed on Kunal Icon Road in Pimple Saudagar on Saturday. (Express photo: Special arrangement)

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), average wind speeds across Mumbai between Sunday and Monday ranged between 72 kmph and 78 kmph, nearly three times the city’s normal monsoon wind speed of 20 to 30 kmph.

“During any normal rainy day, the wind speed ranges between 20 kmph and 30 kmph. However, in the past 48 hours, we have seen the wind speed going three times over its normal range because of the intense monsoon depression that is currently active. This system will remain for another 24 hours before gradually weakening,” Sushma Nair, scientist at IMD Mumbai, told The Indian Express.

BMC data show that of the 523 tree fall incidents reported in the past 24 hours, 188 occurred in the western suburbs, 185 in the island city and 150 in the eastern suburbs.

The IMD recorded the highest wind speed of 77 kmph in the western suburbs, followed by 75 kmph in the eastern suburbs and 72 kmph in the island city.

The city had already recorded 164 tree falls between July 4 and 5, 103 between July 3 and 4, while wind speeds since July 1 had consistently remained between 50 kmph and 60 kmph before crossing the 70 kmph mark on Sunday.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said wind speeds exceeding 75 kmph had resulted in the uprooting of trees.

“Mumbai has recorded its monthly quota of rainfall within just four days along with gusty winds. This is an unprecedented situation. Citizens are requested to stay indoors,” Fadnavis said after reviewing the situation at the State Emergency Operations Centre.

Clearing fallen trees a challenge

Civic officials said the volume of complaints has stretched the city’s response machinery, with ward offices receiving more than 20 tree fall complaints every hour over the past 24 hours.

“The real challenge arises when an entire mature tree collapses. We have to cut and remove it branch by branch, which takes considerable time and disrupts traffic. Our teams have been working round the clock for the past week,” a senior official from the BMC’s Tree Authority said.

An uprooted tree near Mumbai’s iconic Taj Mahal hotel. Tree fall incidents in Mumbai have claimed several lives in the past few days. (Express Photo By Ganesh Shirsekar)

Multiple injuries across the city

According to the BMC disaster management cell, seven people were injured after a tree fell on a residential building at Amboli in Jogeshwari in the early hours of Monday. Four of the injured, Rinku Kanojia (25), Mayank Kanojia (12), Sumit Khade (20) and Sanjeevani Jhaade (48), were admitted to Cooper Hospital, while three others sustained minor injuries.

In Worli’s BDD Chawl area on Sunday evening, Rajendra Chavan (54) and Jagannath Sorte (63) were injured after a large tree branch fell on them. In another incident in Goregaon West, 28 year old Deepak Mali was injured after a tree crashed onto the autorickshaw he was travelling in.

The latest fatality comes barely a week after 11-year-old Vihaan Srivastava was killed when a peepal tree crashed onto his school bus in Chembur on June 30. On Sunday, 63 year old Yunus Kundawala died after a tree branch fell on him in Kurla.

The BMC on Monday announced that all civic-run public parks will remain closed on Tuesday to minimise the risk of accidents caused by falling branches or uprooted trees due to strong winds. Citizens have been advised to avoid visiting parks until weather conditions improve. Further decisions will be announced after reviewing the weather situation.