AKIPRESS.COM - Heavy rain has caused at least 15 deaths and triggered massive rail, road and air transport disruptions in India's financial capital Mumbai, BBC reports.

The victims died when a wall collapsed on them in the early hours of Tuesday after persistent rainfall for two days.

Authorities have declared a public holiday on Tuesday and have requested people to stay indoors.

Met department officials have confirmed that this is the heaviest rainfall in the city for a decade.

Experts have blamed rapid construction and bad urban planning for what many call Mumbai's annual rain chaos.

The victims were mostly labourers working at a construction site in the suburban area of Malad. Authorities said the wall had weakened after several days of rainfall.