Mumbai: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert in Mumbai following heavy rains since Saturday. It predicted more intense showers for the next 24 hours.
According to the weekly forecast issued by the department, Mumbai is expected to receive rain throughhout the week, with heavy rains predicted until August 21.
In a post on X, IMD wrote: “Red nowcast warning for heavy rain accompanied with thunderstorm – Maharashtra: Thane, Pune, Raigad; Madhya Pradesh: Sagar, Balaghat; Mumbai city. Orange nowcast warning for Mumbai – moderate spells of rain very likely.”
Airlines have put out advisories for passengers, warning about delays and traffic issues due to waterlogging on several routes.
As many as 782 passengers were rescued on Tuesday evening after two overcrowded Monorail trains on elevated tracks got stuck between stations in Mumbai amid torrential rains.
Some of the suburbs in the region received more than 200 mm rainfall in the 21-hour period ending at 5.30 am today, as per officials.
According to the data released by the Maharashtra Disaster Management Department, six people have lost their lives in rain and flood-related issues in the last 24 hours in the state.
The BMC said that suburban train services on the central, western and harbour lines, along with BEST bus operations, were running smoothly. Meanwhile, the IMD reported over 200 mm of rainfall in Mumbai’s Vikhroli and Santacruz areas in the past 24 hours.
The Santacruz observatory, which represents Mumbai’s western suburbs, registered 200 mm of rainfall over the 24-hour period ending 8.30 am today, a day after the city was lashed by heavy showers, according to IMD figures.
In neighbouring districts, heavy rain was also reported yesterday. Matheran, a well-known hill station in Raigad, recorded the highest rainfall at 382.5 mm, the department said.
“The Colaba observatory in south Mumbai received 107.4 mm rain, whereas the Santacruz observatory in the western suburbs reported 209 mm during the 24-hour period,” an India Meteorological Department (IMD) official stated.
The IMD has also issued advisories urging residents and civic authorities to exercise caution, warning that intermittent heavy rain is likely to persist in parts of Mumbai and nearby districts.
IndiGo and SpiceJet have issued travel advisories today stating flight operations may get affected due to the incessant rainfall. IndiGo also urged passengers to leave for Mumbai airport a bit ahead of schedule in view of waterlogging across the city.
The University of Mumbai has postponed all the exams scheduled for today, with the new date for exams still under consideration.
