The Indian Meteorological Department has issued a warning for moderate spells of rain very likely to occur at isolated places in the district of Mumbai during next 3-4 hours after the city and its suburbs received over 100 mm of rainfall in 12 hours till 8 PM on Sunday. Several areas have inundated roads affecting the local train traffic between Dadar and Matunga stations due to water-logging and the bad weather also caused several flights to be cancelled and diverted on Sunday
On Sunday, 60 people who were on a picnic got stranded in rushing water on a hill in Belapur, Navi Mumbai, because of heavy rains. They were later rescued.
Mumbai Rains Cause Rise In River Water-Level
In the last 12 hours starting from 8 AM, the island city saw 101 mm of rainfall, while the eastern and western suburbs received 121 mm and 113 mm respectively, officials reported. The rain reduced at night.
Navi Mumbai received 83.38 mm of rainfall in five hours ended at 1:30 PM, causing water-logging in several areas in Vashi, Nerul and Sanpada.
Due to the heavy rainfall, the water level of the Mithi river rose to 2.26 meters, according to a civic official.
It's crucial to note that the river's level becomes alarming beyond 2.7 meters, potentially leading to floods. During the 2005 Mumbai deluge, heavy casualties were reported in parts of Kurla due to flooding.
The Mithi river starts in Sanjay Gandhi National Park and flows 18 km before meeting Mahim Creek and finally emptying into the Arabian Sea.
Mumbai Rains Affect Flight, Train Operations
36 flights were cancelled at Mumbai airport on Sunday and an additional 15 flights, including those by Air India, IndiGo, and Akasa, were diverted to nearby airports like Ahmedabad until 4 pm due to the heavy rainfall.
According to PTI, the airport's runway operations had to be suspended twice during the day. The suspensions occurred first for eight minutes starting at 12:12 pm, followed by another suspension from 1 pm to 1:15 pm.
Local train services were delayed by 15 to 20 minutes on the Harbour Line due to waterlogging near Mankhurd, Panvel and Kurla stations, while services on the Western Railway section operated normally.
In the evening, the Central Railway services on the down fast line between Dadar and Matunga stations were affected. Additionally, water logging on tracks at Dadar on the Up and Down fast line compounded the problem, an official said.
Local train services resumed later as the rain intensity decreased.
A traffic police official said Andheri Subway in DN Nagar was closed, and the southbound traffic was diverted via Gokhale Bridge and northbound traffic via Thackeray Bridge due to water accumulation.
Similarly, the Khar subway was closed, leading to traffic diversion via Linking Road. Maharashtra Nagar subway in Trombay was also shut for traffic due to flooding in the area, he said.
Several vehicles were stranded on inundated roads in Wadala and Matunga in central Mumbai, the official said.
CM Shinde Advices Officials To Be On High Alert; Opposition Criticises Condition of Roads
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde asked officials to be on high alert in light of heavy rains in several parts of Maharashtra.
The State Disaster Response Force, the local administration, civic bodies, police, etc, should take regular updates on the weather from the India Meteorological Department and plan accordingly to provide relief to citizens, he said.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Sunday criticised the Maharashtra government after video clips surfaced on social media purportedly showing policemen filling potholes on roads in Mumbai and Mira Bhayander, on the city’s outskirts.
Thackeray wondered why the men in khaki were being asked to fill the craters instead of the contracted firms owned by the allies of the BJP and the ruling alliance.
