Delhi: Auto driver, woman killed in separate rain-related incidents; 5 others injured

A 30-year-old woman died in north Delhi's Subzi Mandi of a wall collapse while an auto rickshaw driver died in Rohini after a tree fell on his vehicle following heavy rain in the national capital on Sunday, police said.

Five other people were injured in separate incidents, police said, all caused by the record-breaking downpour the city saw during the day.

Priti, a resident of Sonepat's Gannaur, was killed when a dilapidated portion of a wall of a veterinary hospital collapsed on her in the Subzi Mandi area, police said. Priti was with a girl, who too sustained wounds when she came under the wall.

The accident took place around 5 pm when Priti was going to relieve herself with the girl, they said.

A portion of the wall of the hospital fell towards a vacant plot adjacent to the railway line when the two were passing by, Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Sagar Singh Kalsi said.

Both were rushed to a nearby hospital where the woman was declared brought dead, he said. The girl has been stated to be out of danger.

An FIR has been registered in connection with the matter, police said, adding an investigation is underway.

In Rohini, a 49-year-old auto driver died after a tree fell on his auto, police said.

Rajender, seriously injured, was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was declared brought dead, a senior police officer said.

The incident happened near the Rohini Sports complex bus stop in Sector-9, under the jurisdiction of Prashant Vihar Police Station, he said.

Rajender's body was sent to Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital, mortuary for post mortem, he said. The victim lived in Sector-16, Rohini.

In west Delhi's Moti Nagar, two eight-year-old boys on Sunday became victims of a tin shed collapse in Zakhira locality, officials said.

The fire department rescued the two boys – Aalam and Maraluddin -- who were trapped under the debris. The rescue operation was concluded by 11.35 am and both were admitted to a hospital with minor injuries, officials said.

Fire operator Daljeet too sustained injuries during the rescue operation, officials said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Vichitra Veer said the incident happened when four-five children were playing in front of an abandoned shanty in the Rakhi Market in Zakhira.

While playing, two of them went inside the shanty and suddenly, a small part of its dilapidated roof collapsed on them, he said.

"They sustained minor injuries and got treatment at ABG Hospital Moti Nagar here. With the help of the fire staff, the debris was removed and no other person was found under the debris," the DCP said.

On Sunday, several areas of the city were flooded and the DFS control room received 13 calls reporting to them house-collapse incidents, officials said

The Zakhira incident was reported at around 9.34 am and three fire tenders were rushed to the spot for rescue of the trapped people, DFS director Atul Garg said.

In another incident, a 48-year-old man and his minor son were hurt after a portion of the balcony of a house collapsed on them in northeast Delhi's Seelampur area, police said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northeast) Joy Tirkey said a call was received at 3.41 pm about a house-collapse incident in Seelampur.

As it happened, Jaiveer and his six-year-old son Yash were standing under a balcony to take shelter from the rain and suddenly a portion of the balcony collapsed on them, he said.

The house belonged to a man named Chaman Lal, but having been closed for the past 15 years and no one living in it, it had been in a ramshackle state, the DCP said.

The father-son pair was taken for treatment at GTB Hospital, where doctors stated them to be out of any danger.

The power supply was cut off due to waterlogging in Bharti Nagar and Lodhi Estate area on the request of residents and the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) to avoid any untoward incident, officials said.

In Rohini, a large portion of a road caved in in Sector-24, following which traffic was restricted in the area.

Delhi recorded 153 mm of rain in a 24-hour period ending at 8.30 am on Sunday, the highest in a single day in July since 1982, the India Meteorological Department said.

An interaction between a Western Disturbance and monsoon winds is leading to an intense rainfall spell over northwest India, including Delhi, which experienced the season's first "very heavy" rainfall on Saturday, it added.