Mumbai braces for more rain as IMD issues alerts; trains, flights hit

Relentless downpour cripples Mumbai with flooded streets, stalled trains and delayed flight; IMD issues red alert for Raigad and Pune ghats, with heavy rain alerts for Mumbai, Thane and Palghar

The city of Mumbai and several parts of Maharashtra have been witnessing incessant rainfall for the last five days, bringing life to a standstill with flooding and severe transport disruptions.

 

Weather forecast today: IMD issues alerts across Maharashtra

 

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a heavy rainfall alert for Mumbai for August 20, warning of strong surface winds reaching up to 40–50 kmph till August 22. The weather department said rainfall intensity in Mumbai is expected to reduce from Thursday.

 

A red alert was issued for Raigad and the ghat sections of Pune district for Wednesday. Thane, Palghar, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts will remain under an orange alert on the same day.

 

 

The IMD added that Central Maharashtra is likely to remain dry, while parts of Marathwada and Vidarbha may receive light to moderate showers. The heavy rainfall over Mumbai and surrounding districts was attributed to a low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal and the strengthening of monsoon winds. 

 

Mumbai reels under flooding, transport hit

 

On Tuesday, rains battered Mumbai, its suburbs and nearby townships, flooding streets that resembled rivers in several areas. The city once again struggled with its annual monsoon challenge.

 

Mumbai local railway services hit

 

Suburban train services on Mumbai’s Harbour line between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and Kurla remained suspended for over 12 hours as torrential rains submerged the tracks. Central Railway’s Chief Public Relations Officer Swapnil Nila told PTI that tracks at Chunabhatti station were submerged in 15 inches of water.

 

Services between Kurla and Panvel were restored around 10 pm after water receded from the Kurla-Mankhurd section. Local train operations between CSMT and Thane resumed on Tuesday evening, nearly eight hours after the rains brought the lifeline to a halt. Several long-distance trains were also rescheduled or cancelled, leaving a large number of commuters stranded. Many were forced to jump out of stalled trains and walk through waterlogged tracks. 

 

Monorail disruption in Mumbai

 

A monorail train came to a halt between Mysore Colony and Bhakti Park stations, with over 400 passengers stranded on board. Rescue operations were carried out to evacuate them. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis assured that all passengers were rescued safely and said an inquiry will be conducted into the incident.

 

BMC dismisses fake school closure message

 

Amid the weather warnings, a message circulated on social media claimed that schools and colleges in Mumbai would remain closed on August 20 due to a ‘red alert’. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) clarified the message was fake, stressing that no such order had been issued.

 

“This message is fake. The BMC has not issued any such information through its official social media platforms,” the civic body posted on X. 

 

Flight services likely to be impacted

 

With heavy rains forecast to continue on Wednesday, flight operations are expected to be affected. Local train services may also face further disruptions. Authorities advised commuters to plan their journeys accordingly.

 

On Tuesday, passengers faced severe hardship as train services on the Central Railway’s main and Harbour lines were crippled by waterlogged tracks, while flights also reported delays. 

IndiGo issues travel advisory

IndiGo on Wednesday issued a travel advisory for passengers as heavy rains were forecast in Mumbai and neighbouring areas. The airline cautioned that the downpour could cause air traffic congestion, potentially affecting flight operations. It said any changes to schedules would be communicated directly to passengers through their registered contact details and urged them to ensure their information was up to date.  “While we continue doing our best to keep operations smooth, we recommend planning ahead,” the advisory stated. IndiGo also advised passengers to check their flight status on its website or app before heading to the airport and to allow extra travel time due to the likelihood of slow traffic and waterlogging.