India's financial capital Mumbai woke up to extremely heavy rainfall on Tuesday, August 4, with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) alerting all departments concerned.
High tide is expected in Mumbai at around 12:47 pm today. Mumbaikars have been asked to not go near any beach or low lying areas. Tides waves of around 4.51 meters have been predicted due to the heavy rainfall.
Heavy overnight rains left Mumbai semi-paralysed as the road traffic and suburban trains were affected due to waterlogged tracks. BMC has asked people to stay indoors and avoid stepping out in view of the prediction of heavy rains.
Services on sections of the suburban sector were halted or crawling on the Western Railway, Central Railway at various locations, while the Harbour Line was paralysed from Kurla to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus.
The two highways, main roads and arterial roads in many parts of the city were flooded halting road traffic, stranding many vehicles.
Landslide hits road, rail traffic
There was a huge landslide on a hillock with tonnes of debris falling on the Western Express Highway at Malad, blocking south-bound road traffic with commuters stuck.
Waterlogging was reported from the regular chronic spots of Sion, Kings Circle, Wadala, Dadar, Kurla, Mulund, Borivali, besides subways at Andheri, Kandivali and Dahisar.
The BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation has deployed water pumps to flush out the excess floodwater and clear the roads.
According to BMC, Mumbai received 140.5 mm rain from 8 am on August 3 to 3 am on August 4. The Eastern and Western Suburbs recorded 84.77 mm and 79.27 mm of rainfall, respectively.
The IMD has forecast that heavy rains in the Mumbai metropolitan region will continue for the next 24 hours with a high alert issued on Monday.
"Mumbai and its neighbourhood areas received very intense rainfall. Mumbai is now on red alert with possibilities of extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places. Thunder being heard and satellite, radars points to intense spells," said K.S. Hosalikar, deputy director general of meteorology, IMD.
Similarly, heavy rainfall was recorded from neighbouring districts of Thane, Palghar and Raigad.
"As per the IMD forecast, extremely heavy rainfall is expected in the city and suburbs. Mumbaikars are requested not to venture out unless extremely necessary and stay away from the shore and waterlogged areas," BMC said.
(With agency inputs)
