Mumbai: The death toll from an apartment block collapse in central Mumbai's Mahim area has risen to ten, eyewitnesses said Tuesday, with rescuers still searching for people who may be trapped under the rubble.
Among the dead are five and three members of Aslam Lakha and Advocate Rizwan Merchant families respectively, neighbors said. Among them are Rizwan Merchnat's mother and his 13-year old son.
A section of the five-storey 'Altaf Manzil' building collapsed on Monday evening, before another part of the partially-standing structure also caved in
Heavy rains have lashed the city since the onset of the monsoon season on Sunday, which continues until September. The downpours have already caused flooding, train delays and traffic snarls across the city.
The accident comes two months after a seven-storey building collapsed on Mumbai's outskirts and killed 74 people, leading to the arrest of two builders and seven others in connection with the tragedy.
The collapse of the partially-finished building highlighted widespread shoddy construction standards in India, where huge demand for housing and pervasive corruption often results in cost-cutting and a lack of safety inspections.
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