Mumbai Rains: Next 48 hours crucial for city, Thane, Raigad, Ratnagiri, says CM Fadnavis; IMD issues RED alert
Mumbai Rains: At least six people were killed, hundred others were displaced over the last couple of days as heavy rains continued to batter Maharashtra – crippling daily life in Mumbai
Mumbai Rains: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who reviewed the flood situation with the disaster management department, said that the next 48 hours would be crucial for Mumbai, Thane, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts, which are currently under Red Alert.
At least six people were killed, hundred others were displaced over the last couple of days as heavy rains continued to batter Maharashtra – crippling daily life in Mumbai on Tuesday.
Schools and colleges were also closed, government offices were shut after the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a Red Alert, warning of extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places in Mumbai and nearby districts.
Why is Mumbai receiving so much rain?
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the rainfall activity is linked to a depression that moved across south Odisha and Chhattisgarh on Tuesday morning and is expected to weaken into a low-pressure area within 12 hours.
- Monsoon systems, including the offshore trough running from south Gujarat to north Kerala and an upper air circulation over the northeast Arabian Sea, are also adding to the strong rainfall activity over Maharashtra, as per the weather observatory's latest release.
Air, rail, road transport hit, commuters stranded
- On Tuesday, at least 17 long-distance trains originating from two of the city's two major railway terminals, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT), were rescheduled following heavy rains and waterlogging in Mumbai.
- Six flights of IndiGo airlines and one each of SpiceJet and Air India were diverted to nearby airports, including Surat, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad.
- Precautionary measures, including low-visibility procedures, have been put in place in the wake of the rains.
- The Bombay High Court, which operates from 11 am to 5 pm, functioned only till 12.30 due to heavy rains.
- Nearly 350 people from Kurla in suburban Mumbai were shifted to safer locations as the Mithi River in the city swelled, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's office said, reported PTI.