At least 22 people were killed in a stampede on a bridge near a railway station in Mumbai on Friday after heavy rains, officials said.

The stampede broke out during morning rush hour on a bridge connecting the Lower Parel and Elphinstone stations.

Police said the staircase on the bridge became overcrowded amid surging crowds and people not exiting due to the heavy downpour.

“Some witnesses say the stampede was triggered due to rumours in the crowd that the bridge had collapsed or people had got electrocuted, others say women slipped off the stairs, setting off panic in the crowd,” police officer, Sunil Deshmukh, said.

“There was chaos all around on the narrow bridge, people jumped over each other and many were seriously injured.’’

In all, 22 people had died, Regional Health Minister, Deepak Sawant, said.

Some 32 more were hospitalised, and with many in a serious condition, the death toll could increase, he added.

Footage on television channels showed people on the ground, many not moving at all, with locals attempting to revive them with water and first aid.

Railways Minister, Piyush Goyal, offered condolences and ordered a high-level probe into the tragedy.