Building collapse: Man awaits word on whereabouts of wife, son

"My mother is seriously injured and other family members, including my wife and son, are still untraceable," says Nawab Shamani from his hospital bed in a voice that is a mixture of pain and anguish.

Shamani, who works in Delhi, was visiting his extended family in the four-storey building in Dongri in south Mumbai when it collapsed just before noon on Tuesday, killing 11 persons, including 4 women and one child.

While resting on a bed in state-run J J Hospital, Shamani, who is in his 30s, said he could only recall that he was sleeping in a flat in the ill-fated building and suddenly
heard a loud thud.

"Next thing I remember is I am lying on a hospital bed with some injuries to my head and a hand," he said.

What worries the young man more is that even after seven hours after the mishap, his wife Sana and son Ibrahim are still untraceable.

Rescuers at the spot are fighting a battle against time as several people are still feared trapped under the rubble of the unauthorised building which housed 15 families, as per preliminary information.

"My mother is seriously injured but she is out of danger. I have informed authorities about my family members but have received no information from them about their whereabouts so far. They are still untraceable even around 6-7 hours after the tragedy," Shamani said.

The approach roads to the spot of the incident are so narrow that even rescue vehicles struggled to make their way.

According to National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the toll has risen to 11, including 4 women and one child.

Scores of locals joined in the effort, forming a human chain to help in removing the debris brick by brick and picking up slabs of concrete to locate those buried at the
spot.