Mumbai Rain: Heavy rains flooded low-lying areas and affected local trains, traffic and flights
Mumbai Rain: On Wednesday, Mumbai and its suburbs were battered by intense rain, flooding low-lying regions and interfering with local trains, traffic, and aviation. However, once the rain stopped after midnight on Thursday, the flooding in many of the impacted locations had subsided.
Social media users posted many videos depicting severe flooding on the rails between Kurla and Thane stations, trapping commuters. Many planes at the Mumbai airport had to do a go-around or be diverted owing to bad weather, officials informed a news agency.
The most rainfall was reported in Mulund and the adjacent areas as torrential rain battered Mumbai.
Before 6 p.m. on Wednesday, a Mumbai municipal body official said that the eastern suburbs of the city also had very heavy rain, with less than 30 mm falling.
People were observed wading through waist-deep water in Kurla, Chembur, Mulund, Vikhroli, Breach Candy, and other parts of Mumbai, where there was significant waterlogging.
14 FLIGHTS TO MUMBAI CHANGED, IMPACTING LOCAL TRAINING
Up to 14 planes were diverted to Mumbai on Wednesday due to heavy rain. Nine of them were IndiGo aircraft alone, and an official informed PTI that because of the bad weather, they were not permitted to land in the city.
The remaining planes, operated by Vistara, Air India, Akasa, and Gulf Air, were directed to divert to other airports by the Air Traffic Control (ATC).
Of the rerouted aircraft, seven were told to land in Hyderabad, four in Ahmedabad, two in Goa’s Mopa Airport, and one in Udaipur.
Following the water’s retreat on Thursday morning, local train services on the harbor line were restored. The Central Railways had earlier reported that local trains were running cautiously and were running late.
Walking on rails, passengers aboard trains were seen at the Chunabhatti Railway station.
Central Railways posted on X, saying, “Please stay inside the train and avoid stepping onto the tracks for your safety.” Local trains are running cautiously and with delays due to waterlogging and strong rains. You are safer inside the train; thus, we strongly advise passengers to remain on board. The train will proceed to your destination when the water recedes. To ensure everyone’s safety, your assistance is necessary.
The Western Railway stated in a statement that local trains on its Mumbai Suburban network were operating smoothly in spite of the city’s intense downpour.
WEATHER WARNING FOR MUMBAI
Up until Thursday, the city and its surrounding areas were under a red warning issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Additionally, the meteorological bureau issued an orange advisory for Thane, Raigad, Mumbai, and Pune for Thursday, and a red notice for Palghar. The northern Maharashtra districts of Nashik and Dhule were placed under an orange warning.
According to Sushma Nair, an IMD scientist, a trough crosses a cyclonic circulation over south Chhattisgarh and its surrounding areas and extends to the medium tropospheric level, dipping southward with height, and runs from the north Konkan to south Bangladesh.
“During the week, there is a good chance of fairly widespread to widespread light to moderate rainfall over Konkan and Goa,” the spokesperson said.
Up to September 27, there is a good chance of isolated, heavy rainfall in the Konkan, Goa, and central Maharashtra.
SCHOOLS CLOSED
On September 26 (a Thursday), all schools and institutions in Mumbai and its suburbs were closed due to severe rain that left several regions flooded and a red warning issued by the meteorological service. School Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar sent out the announcement about the vacation.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said in a statement that “all schools and colleges under the BMC’s jurisdiction will remain closed on Thursday, considering the safety of the students.”
The municipal organization also urged people to leave their houses only when absolutely essential.
It said, “Weather updates should be checked by commuters, and plans should be made accordingly.”
The meteorological service issued an orange signal for Pune today, and Pune District Collector Dr. Suhas Diwase declared that schools in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad were also ordered closed.
CIVIC AUTHORITIES PRESENT DIRECTIONS
Bhushan Gagrani, the city municipal commissioner of Mumbai, requested all assistant commissioners to make sure that their respective executive engineers remained in their ward control rooms when a red alert was issued.
Additionally, he gave the head engineers of the Stormwater Drains (SWD) department instructions to make sure de-watering pumps were working and that SWD personnel was present on the job.
Gagrani said that deputy chief engineers were requested to be on call in their designated zones at night.
It was also instructed that each Deputy Municipal Commissioner keep an eye on the circumstances inside their own zones.
DROWNS IN NULLAH, WOMAN
On Wednesday, in the midst of intense rain, a 45-year-old lady perished in an overflowing nullah. Around 9.20 p.m., in the Andheri East area, the event took place next to gate number 8 of the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC). Vimal Anil Gaikwad was named as the victim.
After notifying the fire department and local police, the lady was taken to Cooper Hospital and pronounced dead.
