Mumbai rain: ‘Red’ alert issued; schools, colleges shut today amid waterlogging

Heavy rain brought Mumbai, the financial capital of India, to standstill on Monday and there seems to be no respite from the downpour every soon as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a ‘red’ alert for the Maharashtra capital for Tuesday, July 9, as well.

Schools and colleges in Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Panvel as well as rural parts of Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg will remain shut on Tuesday due to the red alert issued by the IMD for these areas. The decision applies to primary and secondary schools as well as junior and senior colleges.

The hapless residents of Mumbai were greeted by another dreary Tuesday morning, pounded yet again by relentless rain, mirroring the misery of Monday. The ceaseless downpour wreaked havoc on the city and its suburbs, derailing suburban train services and throwing flight operations into disarray. Everyday life was upended in the metropolis, where an elderly woman died to burn injuries from a short-circuit. People were left to trudge through waterlogged streets and navigate the ensuing traffic chaos, enduring yet another day of disruption and despair.

Some areas in Mumbai received more than 300 mm of rainfall in just six hours ending at 7am, causing inundation of roads and low-lying areas.

Rain warning: Red alert for Mumbai

The IMD has issued a red alert for Mumbai, predicting heavy to very heavy rainfall in the city on Tuesday. The BMC’s statement said BMC commissioner and administrator Bhushan Gagarani has urged citizens to be cautious and not to step out of homes unless necessary.

“The BMC has put all its disaster management teams on high alert. Citizens are advised not to panic and can contact the BMC’s disaster management cell on 1916 for any assistance,” it said.

The IMD has predicted heavy rainfall at isolated places in Mumbai till July 12. It has predicted heavy to moderate rainfall in Palghar, Thane, Dhule, Nandurbar, Jalgaon, Nasik, Ahmednagar, Kolhapur, Sangli, Sholapur, Aurangabad, Jalna, Parbhani, Beed, Hingoli, Nanded, Latur, Osmanabad, Akola, Amravati, Bhandara, Buldhana, Chandrapur, Gadchiroli, Gondia, Nagpur, Wardha, Washim and Yavatmal upto Jul 12.

Schools, colleges closed

“The Thane Zilla Parishad, which has jurisdiction over rural areas, has also declared a holiday on Tuesday. Additionally, schools and colleges in Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts will remain closed on Tuesday due to the ‘red alert’ for very heavy rainfall issued by the Indian Meteorological Department,” an official told news agency PTI.

In a statement issued late Monday evening, the BMC said all civic, government and private schools and colleges will be shut as a precautionary measure due to the heavy rainfall warning issued by the IMD.

Considering the safety and convenience of students, all examinations scheduled for Tuesday in both the morning and afternoon sessions at Mumbai University have been postponed. Pooja Roudale, director of the examination and evaluation board, said the new dates for these exams will be announced soon.

Advisory issued

The Mumbai division of the Central Railways asked passengers to avoid travelling unless unavoidable.

“In view of tomorrow’s forecast for heavy rains in Mumbai & Thane Districts, passengers are requested to refrain from travelling unless unavoidable,” it said.

Mumbai: Train, flight, bus services disrupted

The Central Railway services faced significant disruptions due to rain-induced waterlogging despite installing high-capacity pumps in low-lying areas, inconveniencing thousands of passengers as local trains stopped on tracks for hours. Many out-station trains on their way to Mumbai also remained stranded.

After resuming services earlier in the day, Harbour line services of Central Railway were suspended again on a stretch on Monday night due to waterlogging on the tracks.

Flight services at the Mumbai airport were severely impacted due to low visibility after heavy rain, leading to runway operations being shut for over an hour and approximately 50 flights being cancelled, reports said. Of the 50 cancelled flights (both arrivals and departures) till 11am, 42 were operated by IndiGo and six by Air India.

During evening rush hours, BEST diverted its bus services via alternate routes due to waterlogging on low-lying areas at Parel, Gandhi Market, Sangam Nagar and Malad subway.