Woman rescued as death toll rises in building collapse

Rescuers pulled a woman from the rubble of a Mumbai building a day after it collapsed but her two young children did not survive, officials said yesterday, as the death toll from the tragedy rose to 13.

Heavy monsoon rains on Tuesday trapped more than 40 people after the building crumbled in southern Mumbai’s congested Dongri area, with rescuers and volunteers struggling to conduct their search among the narrow lanes.

“We rescued 28-year-old Alima Indrasi with her two children early on Wednesday morning,” India’s National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) spokesman Sachidanand Gawde said. “She has sustained injuries but is undergoing treatment and her children did not survive... (we) are hopeful there may still be some victims who will survive.”

He said rescue operations were in the final stages. Dissaster management spokesman Tanaji Kamble added that 13 bodies have been recovered so far.