Mumbai rains: Waterlogged roads trigger traffic snarls, IMD predicts more downpour
The IMD forecast warned of "heavy to heavy rainfall in Mumbai, with extremely heavy spells at isolated locations.' The red alert was also extended to Raigad, Ratnagiri, Satara, Kolhapur, and Pune, with several districts bracing for downpours.
ADVERTISEMENT
Mumbai woke up to yet another rain-battered Monday, with knee-deep waterlogging, choked traffic, and disrupted daily life as the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) upgraded its weather warning from orange to red alert.
The IMD forecast warned of "heavy to heavy rainfall in Mumbai, with extremely heavy spells at isolated locations.' The red alert was also extended to Raigad, Ratnagiri, Satara, Kolhapur, and Pune, with several districts bracing for downpours.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) ordered all schools and colleges shut, while videos from Chunabhatti, Gandhi Market in Sion, and other parts of the city showed vehicles crawling through knee-deep waters. Traffic on the Western Express Highway near Vile Parle slowed to a near standstill as the downpour continued.
Mumbai Traffic Police flagged several key choke points, including Mahalaxmi Temple, Kings Circle flyover, and Gandhi Market in Matunga.
The Wadala Freeway northbound lanes, Hindmata Junction in Bhoiwada, and Juhu Galli Barfiwala Road in Andheri reported waterlogging up to a foot deep, leaving commuters stranded for hours. Local trains too were delayed by 15-20 minutes.
Between 9 am and 10 am alone, Mumbai recorded an average of 37 mm of rainfall. Eastern suburbs bore the brunt with 39 mm, while the western suburbs logged 29 mm.
A warning at 10:30 am projected more intense rainfall for Sindhudurg and Palghar districts over the next few hours.
The BMC’s monsoon report revealed the city was already struggling with the after-effects of Sunday’s downpour, which triggered six short circuits, 19 tree falls, and two wall collapses - mercifully without casualties.
Rainfall levels on Sunday reached 23.81 mm in the island city, 25.01 mm in the eastern suburbs, and 18.47 mm in the western suburbs, with some pockets recording 40–45 mm.
