Mumbai Faces Extreme Rainfall: Red Alert Issued

Mumbai, Aug 18 (PTI) - Mumbaikars awoke to intense rainfall this Monday, prompting the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to raise a ‘red’ alert, signaling extremely heavy showers at isolated locations in the city and surrounding areas.

This led the city’s municipal body to announce a holiday for educational institutions, officials confirmed.

Several city roads faced flooding due to continued heavy rains over the past three days. Low-lying areas, including Andheri Subway and Lokhandwala Complex, experienced water accumulation, disrupting traffic. Local trains, a crucial transportation mode in Mumbai, were running with delays of approximately 10 minutes. No service suspensions were reported. Suburban services on the Central Railway line faced issues due to water pooling on tracks along the Harbour Line and due to track point failures between Kurla and Tilak Nagar.

With visibility issues and hampered vehicular movement caused by the intense downpour, the IMD raised a ‘red’ alert for Mumbai, Thane, and Raigad districts for the forthcoming two days. According to IMD data, the suburb of Santacruz received 99 mm of rainfall, while the Colaba observatory noted 38 mm within the last 24 hours. The rains caused waterlogging in several city sections, resulting in slow traffic.

Airlines, including Akasa Air and IndiGo, issued travel advisories urging travelers to allocate additional time due to traffic bottlenecks on airport routes. With flooding concerns, both lanes of the Andheri Subway were closed for traffic, prompting the Mumbai Traffic Police to redirect traffic via Thackeray and Gokhale bridges. Further waterlogging was reported around Vakola Bridge, Hyatt Junction, and Khar Subway, complicating traffic flow further.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) declared a holiday for all schools and colleges operating in the second shift due to the relentless rains. “Considering student safety due to the continuous rains since morning, a holiday has been declared for post-noon educational activities on Monday, August 18,” the BMC announced on X.

Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti urged residents to be cautious amid the ongoing Orange Alert conditions, noting incidents of water-logging and reduced visibility from various areas. Citizens were advised to limit non-essential travel, plan their commutes judiciously, and venture out only when necessary. “Police officers are on high alert to assist in any emergencies,” Bharti posted on X.

Akasa Air and IndiGo, in posts on X, forewarned travelers about slowed road traffic due to the heavy rainfall, advising early departures for flights and maintaining awareness through app and website updates. With persistent showers affecting road travel, IndiGo assured passengers of assistance from their airport teams.

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