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SoBo sees 2 banyan tree collapse deaths in 2 days
Another banyan tree collapsed in Papdy, Vasai West on Tuesday. According to fire brigade officials, no casualties were reported
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Mumbai: A day after a man lost his life after a banyan tree collapsed on him in Worli, a woman became the second casualty when a branch of yet another banyan tree fell on her near the Parel ST depot on Tuesday.
Varsha Mestri, 57, was grievously injured in the incident which occurred at 9:30am. Passersby and residents from a nearby chawl rushed to the spot and drove her to the civic-run King Edward Memorial (KEM) hospital, Parel. Manisha S, an eyewitness and a resident of a chawl near the depot who knew her said: “There was a strong gust of wind since 11:30 pm on Monday. It was so strong that a stone flew inside my house. There were similar strong winds this morning as well when the branch fell on her head and injured her on the spot.”
Mestri, a single woman, was known to wander in the area after allegedly being disowned by her family. “She lived in Charni Road in the past and then moved to Lower Parel. When I went to the hospital to check on her I was informed she died in the unfortunate incident,” said Manisha. “We have informed her sister about her death.”
A civic official from the BMC’s G South ward’s garden department said, “The banyan tree was around 25-30 years old. Such trees sprout on their own and they don’t have a strong, hollow base. Apart from that, road digging and footpath stamping are also on; the roots were covered with cement which caused the tree to fall. Through the night there was windspeed of 75km per hour.” Later in the day, a doctor from KEM said, “She had severe leg and head injuries and was declared dead at 1 pm.”
In a second tree crash incident on Tuesday, Mukesh Sagvekar, 62, suffered minor injuries when a tree near Jaslok hospital fell on him at around 8.15 am. It also damaged a few parked vehicles. He was discharged after treatment from Breach Candy hospital
Tree fall in Virar
A 150-year-old banyan tree was uprooted on Tuesday, unable to withstand gusty winds and heavy rainfall, around 8.30am at Shirsat Phata, Virar West. Its collapse disrupted the electrical wiring and blocked traffic in the area. Although there were no casualties reported, as traffic movement was affected, the NDRF and officials from local fire brigade were pressed into service to remove the tree.
Meanwhile, another banyan tree collapsed in Papdy, Vasai West on Tuesday. According to fire brigade officials, no casualties were reported.
