Flight operations hit, 35 injured in billboard collapse after rains in Mumbai

Mumbai: Flight operations at Mumbai airport were suspended for an hour and local trains were delayed as Mumbai witnessed unseasonal rains, accompanied by a dust storm.

A 100-foot tall billboard was uprooted and fell on a petrol pump at the Cheddanagar Junction in Ghatkopar area, injuring 35 people and trapping many more.

As many as 15 flights were diverted to different airports and the runways operation resumed at 5.03 pm, the airport operator said.

“Due to the inclement weather and dust storms in the city, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) temporarily suspended flight operations for around 66 min due to low visibility and gusty winds,” it said in a statement.

Till the operations resumed, the airport witnessed 15 diversions, the statement said. The airport had only last week completed its pre-monsoon runway maintenance to ensure safe and smooth aircraft operations.

While the rainfall brought relief to the residents of Mumbai and its adjoining area from the heat, the sudden change in weather brought traffic to a standstill as commuters took shelter during the storm.

Those injured in the billboard collapse incident have been rushed to the civic body-run Rajawadi Hospital, a BMC official said.