Heavy Rains disrupt life in Mumbai

After a long gap, heavy rains battered Mumbai on Wednesday, inundating low-lying areas, halting local trains in their tracks and forcing the diversion of at least 14 incoming flights.Some roads virtually turned into rivers of fast-moving water as several areas received more than 100 mm of rain in five hours of evening. As local trains stopped between Kurla and Thane stations on the Central line, thousands of commuters were stranded as CSMT and other stations, while there were traffic jams in various places.
The India Meteorological Department upgraded its orange alert for Mumbai city and its neighbouring districts to a red alert, valid till 8.30 am on Thursday. Schools and colleges will remain closed on Thursday, civic officials ordered.As per BMC data, the island city, eastern suburbs and western suburbs received 87.79 mm, 167.48 mm, and 95.57 mm rainfall between 5 pm and 10 pm.Mankhurd area in eastern suburbs received the highest 276 mm rainfall followed by 275 mm in Bhandup and 274 mm in Powai area. Sewri Koliwada and Wadala area in island city witnessed the highest rainfall of more than 145 mm rainfall while the highest rainfall recorded in Western suburbs was 190 mm.
The Central Railway's chief spokesperson said there was waterlogging between Vidyavihar and Mulund on UP and DOWN slow lines, and on DOWN lines between Bhandup and Nahur.Western Railway claimed that despite heavy rainfall, local trains on its suburban network were running normally.Traffic jams were seen on Lal Bahadur Shastri (LBS) Marg in Kurla and Ghatkopar, particularly near Sahara Hotel, Kurla Depot and Phoenix Mall Road, Kalpana cinema and Kalina Air India road. Some vehicles, especially two-wheelers, broke down.
IMD scientist Sushma Nair said a trough runs from north Konkan to south Bangladesh across a cyclonic circulation over south Chhattisgarh and its neighbourhood extending to the middle tropospheric level tilting southwards with height. "This will lead to fairly widespread to widespread light/moderate rainfall over Konkan and Goa during the week," she said."The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) administration requests Mumbaikars to step out of homes only if required," the BMC posted on X.