Mumbai Rains: IMD Sounds High Tide Alert; Schools to Remain Shut

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has sounded an alert in Mumbai as high tide of 4.47m is expected at around 2:29 pm on Friday.

Heavy rains and deluge disrupting daily life in Dadar, Mumbai. High tide expected around 2 pm today #MumbaiRains pic.twitter.com/JAm68WZfEY

— ANI (@ANI_news) June 19, 2015

While the Met Department's forecast, as reported by India Info Line, suggested a high tide of 4.47m, tide-forecast predicted a 4.57m high tide at around 1:57 pm.

The Met Department has also predicted, as of 19 June, that heavy to very heavy rainfall will lash some parts of the city for around 48 hours.

"Intermittent rain /shower would occur in city and suburbs. Heavy to very heavy rain would occur in some areas," IMD predicted.

The overnight heavy rainfall has already paralysed the city as the suburban train services on all three lines, Central Railway (CR), Harbour Line, and Western Railway (WR), have been suspended due to heavy waterlogging in railway tracks.

"Suburban services are affected due to heavy rains and water-logging in several areas in Mumbai Central and Matunga. It is advised to all that commuters may travel only in case of emergency," Western Railway stated in a release, according to Business Standard. 

Schools shut

As Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) advised the residents of Mumbai to remain indoors, schools in the severely affected regions decided to remain shut on Friday.

RN Podar in Santacruz, St Mary's school in Mazgaon, St Xavier's High School, Fort and The Cathedral and John Connon School will remain shut on 19 June, The Times of India reports.

Archdiocesan Board of Education (ABE), the Catholic body that runs over 150 schools in Mumbai, has asked the principals to take a call on shutting the schools based on the situation in respective areas.

Meanwhile, St Xavier's College has postponed all interviews in the wake of poor weather condition.

"All interviews scheduled for Friday, will be rescheduled to Saturday, weather permitting," the college statement said.

For any weather-related queries, residents of Mumbai can call IMD on 022-22150431 / 022-22174719.