 "Mumbai rains: 18 killed, travel hit, IMD issues red alert for Raigad")
Mumbai and surrounding regions in Maharashtra continue to grapple with relentless monsoon rains, causing widespread waterlogging, traffic chaos, and disruptions in suburban train and metro services. The downpour, which began early this week, has so far claimed 18 lives and left 65 others injured since June 1.
According to civic officials cited by news agency PTI, Mumbai recorded an average of 95 mm of rainfall in 24 hours, ending at 8 am on Monday. The eastern suburbs reported 58 mm, while the western suburbs saw 75 mm during the same period.
Weather alerts and forecast
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast heavy rain for Mumbai and adjoining areas over the next 24 hours, with cloudy skies expected to persist. The weather office has issued an ‘Orange alert’ for Mumbai, Thane, and Palghar, indicating the likelihood of heavy to very heavy rainfall. Meanwhile, a ‘Red alert’—the highest level of warning—was declared for Raigad, predicting extremely heavy rainfall in isolated pockets.
Raigad, along with parts of the Pune and Satara ghat regions, is expected to receive significant downpours over the next 16 hours, the IMD said on Monday afternoon.
High tide warnings
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has also cautioned citizens about two high tides, one expected at 3.31 pm (4.21 metres) on Monday, and another at 3.31 am (3.44 metres) on Tuesday. A low tide of 1.86 metres is expected at 9.41 pm, followed by another low tide of 1.33 metres at 9.10 am on Tuesday.
Train and metro disruptions
Commuters faced a tough morning as local trains on both the Central and Western Railway lines ran behind schedule by 20–30 minutes. Heavy rains flooded several tracks, leading to delays during peak hours.
Metro services also faced temporary hiccups. On the Ghatkopar-Andheri-Versova corridor, a plastic sheet from a nearby construction site was blown by strong winds onto the overhead electric wires near Azad Nagar station, disrupting services briefly.
“The services are running normally now. Due to heavy winds, a plastic sheet from a nearby construction site flew onto the overhead electrical line near the Azad Nagar Metro station, disrupting train services,” Mumbai Metro One said in a post on X.
Flight operations affected
Air travel was impacted as well. IndiGo Airlines issued a travel advisory alerting passengers about waterlogged roads and low visibility en route to Mumbai airport. “Heavy rainfall continues across Mumbai, and road conditions remain slow in several parts of the city. Waterlogging and low visibility are being reported on some routes to the airport,” IndiGo said on X.
The airline advised travellers to leave early and check the latest flight status via its app or website.
SpiceJet also issued similar advisory urging passengers to stay updated on travel schedules due to adverse weather conditions.
[With inputs from PTI]