Torrential rains in Mumbai on Tuesday inundated several low-lying areas, brought local train services to a halt and disrupted road traffic, throwing life out of gear in the metropolis and its neighbouring districts. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) announced a holiday for government and semi-government offices and appealed to private establishments to allow work-from-home arrangements. Schools and colleges across the city also remained shut in line with the red alert issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The relentless downpour led to severe waterlogging in areas including Borivali, Andheri, Sion, Dadar and Chembur. Local train services between Thane and CSMT were suspended, while several BEST bus routes were diverted due to submerged roads. A high tide of 3.75 metres was recorded at 9.16 am, with another of 3.14 metres expected at 8.53 pm, raising the risk of further flooding during peak hours.
One of the most concerning developments was at the Mithi river, where the water level touched the danger mark of 3.10 metres at Kranti Nagar near Kurla bridge. The BMC evacuated nearly 400 residents from nearby slum clusters and relocated them to the MM municipal school in Kurla, where arrangements for shelter and meals have been made. In the 24-hour period ending 8 am Tuesday, the city’s eastern and western suburbs recorded rainfall of 208.78 mm and 238.19 mm, respectively, while Vikhroli logged the highest single-location downpour at 255.5 mm.
