Heavy Rainfall Disrupts Life in Mumbai, Prompts Red Alert

After a long period of dry weather, Mumbai experienced severe rainfall on Wednesday, September 25, 2024, resulting in the flooding of low-lying areas and causing major disruptions to the city’s transportation networks. Local trains, essential for daily commuters, came to a halt between Kurla and Thane stations on the Central line, while traffic jams clogged roads across the city.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) upgraded its alert status for Mumbai and surrounding districts from orange to red, effective until at least 8:30 AM on Thursday, September 26. An IMD bulletin warned of severe thunderstorms and gusty winds reaching 40 to 50 kilometers per hour, affecting isolated areas. Reports indicate that some parts of Mumbai received over 100 millimeters of rain within just five hours on the evening of September 25.

The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST) bus services also faced significant disruptions due to waterlogging and traffic congestion at various locations. Furthermore, the heavy rains forced the rescheduling of nine long-distance trains, and persistent waterlogged rail tracks caused delays of up to an hour on the Central Railway line.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai experienced flight disruptions as well. A statement from SpiceJet indicated that numerous flights had been affected, with 14 Mumbai-bound flights redirected as a result of adverse weather conditions. In one instance, an Indigo Airlines flight was compelled to abort its landing due to wind shear and was subsequently rerouted to Ahmedabad.

Amid these challenges, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) announced the closure of all schools and colleges in Mumbai for Thursday, September 26, as a precautionary measure. “The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation requests Mumbaikars to step out of homes only if required,” the BMC stated on social media platform X.

The IMD has forecast continued rainfall and thunderstorm activity over Maharashtra in the coming days, driven by a trough from North Konkan that extends to South Bangladesh. This system is interacting with a cyclonic circulation over South Chhattisgarh, further intensifying weather conditions. The IMD expects widespread heavy to very heavy rainfall across Mumbai, Konkan, Madhya Maharashtra, and Marathwada over the next two to three days.