At least 15 people are feared trapped after a building collapsed in Pimpri-Chinchwad in Maharashtra's Pune district on Wednesday, according to officials.
The incident occurred amid persistent rainfall that has lashed Pune and nearby areas over the past several days. Fire brigade personnel and disaster response teams rushed to the site and launched a rescue operation to search for those believed to be trapped beneath the debris. The exact cause of the collapse has not yet been determined.
Authorities said heavy machinery is being used to clear the rubble while rescue personnel work to reach those trapped. Officials have not yet confirmed the number of casualties or injuries, and further details are awaited as rescue efforts continue.
Speaking about the incident, Pimpri-Chinchwad Mayor Ravi Landge said, "Due to the heavy rainfall across the city, water levels have risen significantly. This caused a mass of accumulated garbage debris to collapse onto an office building, bringing down a concrete slab. Sixteen office staff members were eating there at the time; two managed to get out, and rescue operations are currently underway for the others. There have been no deaths, and everyone is safe. The fire brigade, NDRF team, police, and the health and environment departments are working together to bring them out."
The collapse comes as Maharashtra continues to face an intense monsoon spell that has caused widespread flooding, waterlogging and structural damage across several districts. Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad have experienced continuous rainfall over the past week, prompting the evacuation of more than 6,000 residents from flood-affected areas. Schools and colleges have remained closed in parts of Pune after the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an Orange Alert warning of continued heavy rainfall. The district has already received more than its average monthly rainfall within the first week of July, while multiple rain-related incidents, including landslides and wall collapses, have resulted in several fatalities.
The latest incident comes just days after a three-storey residential building collapsed in Mumbai's Mankhurd area during heavy rain, killing six people, including five children. Mumbai has been experiencing one of its heaviest monsoon spells in recent years, with record rainfall leading to severe waterlogging, transport disruptions and several rain-related deaths across the city.
