Three killed as tree falls on moving auto rickshaw in Thane amid unseasonal rains

Representational Image. Pic/Satej Shinde

The officials on Wednesday said that three people were killed as a tree fell on a moving auto-rickshaw in the Kolsewadi locality of Thane district amid heavy unseasonal rains accompanied by strong winds, reported news agency PTI.

The incident took place on late Tuesday night.

The deceased were identified as rickshaw driver Umashankar Varma (53), Nanda Raut (35) and Sitaram Shelke (45), police said, reported PTI.

The Thane Municipal Corporation's Disaster Management Cell reported that the city recorded 20 mm of rainfall between 8:45 PM and 10:15 PM.

There were 13 incidents of tree collapse, said Yasin Tadvi, the chief of the disaster management unit, reported PTI.

In neighboring Palghar district, strong winds and heavy rain led to damage to brick kilns and standing crops, officials said.

Thunderstorm, rain bring respite from heat in Mumbai

A sudden spell of thunderstorms and heavy rain in parts of Mumbai and its adjoining areas on Tuesday evening brought much-needed relief from the sweltering summer heat.

Parts of neighbouring Thane and Raigad districts also experienced thunderstorms coupled with rains.

Some western suburbs, such as Borivali, Kandivali, Malad, Andheri and Bandra received heavy showers, while parts of eastern suburbs and the island city witnessed light to moderate rain following a dust storm with gusty winds.

The thunderstorm slowed down the road traffic and also affected suburban local trains on the Western Railway and Central Railway networks, delaying services by at least 15 to 20 minutes.

Railway officials, amid unseasonal Mumbai rains, admitted that the suburban train services in the metropolis were affected due to rains and strong winds.

In a slight relief to Mumbaikars, the city is experiencing cooler-than-usual weather as mid-May approaches - a period typically known for intense heat and oppressive humidity. Surprisingly, current temperatures are milder than those recorded in March and April this year. Adding to the comfort, humidity levels have dropped slightly, according to meteorologists, offering further relief to residents used to sticky conditions during this time of year.

Light showers are expected over the coming days, contributing to the cooling trend and offering a much-needed reprieve ahead of the monsoon. On Tuesday, the India Meteorological Department's (IMD) Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), in its Mumbai rains update, issued a 'yellow alert' for Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, Raigad and other parts of Maharashtra, predicting thunderstorms and light rain.

(With inputs from PTI)