Mumbai Faces Heavy Rains and Disruptions
On Sunday, Mumbai experienced continuous heavy rainfall, leading to significant waterlogging in multiple areas and causing major disruptions in public transport, thereby paralyzing the city. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a ‘yellow’ warning for Mumbai and its surrounding regions, predicting moderate spells of rain likely to continue. Citizens have been advised to monitor flight statuses and travel carefully due to waterlogged roads. The IMD has now issued a forecast for a wet spell, warning of moderate rain in isolated places within Mumbai over the next few hours.
The heavy downpour, persisting for the fifth consecutive day, resulted in several adverse effects. IndiGo Airlines issued a travel advisory, urging passengers to monitor their flight statuses and plan travel accordingly. On Sunday, 36 flights were canceled at Mumbai Airport, including 24 flights by IndiGo and 8 by Air India. Vistara also canceled 4 flights. In addition to flight cancellations, there were also flight diversions; at least 15 flights were redirected to nearby airports such as Ahmedabad due to poor weather conditions and low visibility.
Local train services continued to operate despite the weather, but the heavy rain caused extensive waterlogging in various parts of the city, including key routes such as the Andheri Subway in DN Nagar, Khar subway, and Maharashtra Nagar subway in Trombay, which were closed due to flooding. Severe waterlogging was also reported in Wadala and Matunga in central Mumbai, leaving many vehicles stranded.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) reported that from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm on Sunday, the city received 100 mm of rain, with the eastern suburbs recording 118 mm and the western suburbs 110 mm. The police issued advisories asking citizens to avoid coastal areas and only venture out if necessary, urging people to call emergency number 100 if needed.
In Nagpur district, the heavy rains resulted in tragic incidents where two people lost their lives, and a 12-year-old boy went missing after being swept away in floodwaters. The district administration confirmed that all three were swept away on Saturday.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde called for officials to be on high alert, urging the State Disaster Response Force, local administration, civic bodies, and police to regularly update weather conditions from the IMD and plan accordingly. Measures suggested included surveying accident-prone areas, adopting flood control methods, diverting traffic as needed, maintaining adequate stocks of food, medicine, and relief materials, and setting up temporary shelter camps for people and animals. The Mumbai Police advised citizens to stay home unless necessary and to avoid coastal areas, sharing that in emergencies, residents should dial 100.
Flight operations at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport faced interruptions, with runway operations suspended twice due to inclement weather and low visibility. The IMD issued an orange alert for Mumbai and Thane, forecasting heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places in the city.
The Mumbai rains significantly impacted daily life, with citizens being urged to stay indoors unless absolutely necessary. The city continues to face challenges as the weather remains unpredictable, with more rainfall expected in the coming days. The heavy rains underscore the need for effective disaster preparedness and response mechanisms to mitigate the impact on the city’s residents and infrastructure.