Thane: Thunderstorms accompanied by strong winds and torrential rain disrupted normal life across Bhiwandi and Shahapur on Wednesday evening, with uprooted trees, damaged vehicles, power outages and property damage reported from several areas. In Bhiwandi’s Devjinagar, lightning struck a palm tree, triggering a fire, while Shahapur witnessed multiple incidents of fallen trees and electric wires, including the death of several birds after a large tree branch collapsed in the Panchayat Samiti premises.
Lightning sets palm tree ablaze
In Devjinagar, a palm tree caught fire after being struck by lightning amid intense thunder and heavy rain. Strong winds caused the flames to spread, triggering panic among families living near the tree. On receiving information, personnel from the Anjurphata fire brigade rushed to the spot and brought the fire under control. No casualties or major property damage were reported. Local residents said the tree had reportedly witnessed a similar incident earlier and demanded that it be removed in the interest of public safety.
Shahapur bears storm's brunt
Shahapur bore the brunt of the storm. Several large trees were uprooted across the town and taluka, while branches fell on electricity lines, disrupting power supply in several areas.
At the Shahapur Panchayat Samiti premises, a large branch of an old tree fell on an electricity pole, bending it and affecting power supply in the area. A car and three to four two-wheelers were trapped beneath the fallen branch. The incident also had an unfortunate impact on birds, as several nests were reportedly located on the branch. Around 15 to 16 birds were reported dead following the incident.
The Shahapur bus station also suffered damage after a large tree fell near the main entrance, hitting a recently arrived bus and a car. Both vehicles were damaged.
Bus depot, warehouse damaged
At the Shahapur bus depot, a tree fell near the diesel pump, disrupting power supply and forcing the pump to remain temporarily non-functional. The depot supplies diesel to long-distance buses. However, officials said most long-distance services had already departed, and therefore no major disruption to bus operations was reported. The technical issue is expected to be resolved shortly.
The government warehouse in Shahapur was also damaged as strong winds blew away tin sheets from its roof, leaving the structure exposed to rainwater. Employees immediately covered the damaged portion with tarpaulin, preventing further losses. The shutter of another warehouse in the same premises was also damaged and fell due to the strong winds. No injuries were reported in either incident.
Fallen trees disrupt roads
Several roads in Shahapur were affected by fallen trees. Three to four trees fell near the Forest Office, disrupting traffic, while an electric wire came down on the Shelvali Road, posing a safety risk to commuters. Hail accompanied by heavy rain was reported in the Rahul Nagar area, where trees fell and tin sheets from some structures were blown away.
Teams from the local Jeev Rakshak Dal, along with police and electricity department personnel, assisted in clearing fallen trees and wires and restoring traffic and power supply.
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Survey, compensation sought
Meanwhile, former Shahapur MLA Pandurang Barora has urged the administration to conduct immediate panchnamas of the damage suffered by farmers and economically vulnerable families. In a letter to the tehsildar, he sought a survey of the affected areas and appropriate government compensation and assistance.
The reported deaths of birds have also raised concern among environmentalists, who have urged the Forest Department to inspect the affected site and assess the incident.
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