Heavy rainfall continues to lash Mumbai; flights delayed, schools closed

Mumbai continued to face heavy rainfall for the fourth consecutive day on Tuesday, leading to waterlogging in some low-lying areas. The city received 177 mm of rainfall within six to eight hours on Monday.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis urged citizens to take precautions as more showers are expected along with high tides. Vikhroli recorded the highest rainfall at 139.5 mm, followed by Santacruz (129.1 mm), Juhu (128.5 mm), and Chembur (125 mm).

Mumbai weather forecast

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places and extremely heavy showers at isolated locations in Mumbai, Thane, and Raigad until Tuesday. Ratnagiri was placed under a red alert, while Palghar, Sindhudurg, Aurangabad, Hingoli, Jalgaon, Jalna, Nanded, and Parbhani remained under orange alert.

According to the IMD, Mumbai is expected to receive heavy rainfall on August 19, while August 20 and 21 are also likely to bring sustained heavy showers under cloudy skies.

Travel advisory issued by IndiGo

IndiGo Airlines issued a travel advisory on Tuesday for passengers departing from Mumbai due to heavy rainfall and waterlogging. Several routes to the airport were affected by waterlogging, causing slow traffic and operational difficulties. Delays in arrivals and departures were expected, with passengers advised to check flight status on its mobile application or website. The airline stated that its teams were monitoring the situation and working to reduce disruptions.

Schools declared shut

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) announced a holiday for all schools in Mumbai on Aug 19, PTI reported. Earlier, the civic body had declared a holiday for schools and colleges with afternoon shifts on Monday, citing safety concerns.

Disruptions in local train services

While suburban train operations were not suspended, services on both Western and Central lines experienced delays of about 10 minutes due to water accumulation on tracks in some low-lying areas, according to a report by Times Now. Waterlogging was reported at Vakola bridge, Khar subway, Andheri subway, Sion, and Chembur, leading to slow traffic movement.

Casualties reported

At least one person died and another was injured in rain-related incidents on Monday. The BMC reported that one person was killed in a house collapse, while another was injured due to a tree falling. Additionally, one person was reported missing after being washed away in Bandra West.

Localised flooding

Localised flooding was reported in Malad, Goregaon, Bandra, Bhandup, Worli, and Lower Parel. Chief Minister Fadnavis reviewed the situation at the Mantralaya control room and advised people to take precautions.