Maharashtra rains: Thane declares holiday for schools, colleges on Friday amid heavy rainfall

The Thane administration has declared a holiday for schools and colleges amid incessant rainfall on Thursday. Mumbai and neighbouring districts began the day under an IMD red alert with commuters plagued by water-logging, traffic snarls and local train delays. Many families were shifted to safety as several residential areas in Thane became inundated.

According to officials, many low-lying areas in Bhiwandi and Mira Bhayandar in Thane district have been innundated. Areas such as Vasai and Virar in neighbouring Palghar district were also similarly affected. Meanwhile, the entirety of Ghodbunder Road - which connects the western part of Thane to its east side - has been flooded since Thursday morning,

Thane city received 88.88 mm rainfall from 8.30 am to 4.30 pm on Thursday. The Tansa dam also started overflowing as a result of incessant rainfall in the catchment area on Thursday. 15 of its gates were opened with 1,65,000 cusecs of water being discharged.

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One casualty was reported from the district as a 32-year-old man was swept away in a swollen nullah near a creek in Kalwa town. He had been fishing amid intense showers.

"Around 45 families residing on a hillock in Mumbra Devi locality were shifted to a safe location after a small boulder got loosened and crashed. These residents were shifted to a temple as a makeshift arrangement," a district official told PTI.

In Thane's Bhiwandi, the civic officials evacuated the residents of Nehru Nagar locality situated on a hillock amid fear of landslides. 

"Announcements were made on loudspeakers, in which the local people were urged to move to safer place in view of the fear of landslides due to heavy rains," the official said.

(With inputs from agencies)