Mumbai rains: Tree-branch fall incidents stand at 1711 since Jul 1, up from 855 in 2025, says BMC

Mumbai, Jul 9 (PTI) More than 1,700 complaints of trees and branches falling across Mumbai have been received by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation since July 1 amid heavy rains, up from 855 in 2025, officials said on Thursday. As per the BMC's daily monsoon report, 1,711 tree and tree branch fall incidents were reported across the metropolis till 8 am on Thursday, comprising 693 in the western suburbs, 510 in the island city and 508 in the eastern suburbs. The number of tree and branch fall incidents have surged as compared to the previous years, they pointed out. According to BMC data, the city recorded 687 tree falls in 2023, including 180 on BMC land and 507 on private land. The number dipped to 653 in 2024, with 171 incidents on BMC land and 482 on private land, before rising to 855 in 2025, they said. "The highest single-day tally was recorded on July 5, when 523 tree and tree branch fall incidents were reported across the city. This was followed by 428 incidents on July 6. On both days, Mumbai witnessed heavy rainfall accompanied by gusty winds of up to 90 kmph," officials said. The civic body recorded 90 tree and tree branch fall incidents on July 1, a total of 121 on July 2, another 91 on July 3, then 164 on July 4, 523 on July 5, 428 on July 6, 168 on July 7, and 126 till 8 am on July 9, the data showed. Tree and tree branch falls have emerged as one of the major challenges during the ongoing monsoon, with heavy rainfall and strong winds leading to widespread incidents across the city, disrupting traffic and damaging vehicles and property. Since the onset of the monsoon this year, such incidents have claimed three lives, including that of an 11-year-old student who was killed when a peepal tree fell on a moving school bus in suburban Chembur on June 30. On July 4, Kumar Hasan Raza Jahangir Alam Syed (18) succumbed to injuries after a tree branch fell on his head while he was riding a motorcycle with friends in Aarey Colony during heavy rain, officials said. Subsequently, a 63-year-old man, Yunus Kundawala, died after a tree fell on a shop in Kurla (West) on July 5. PTI KK BNM