Heavy Rain Paralyzes Maharashtra: Mumbai on Alert as 6 People Die

Mumbai and several parts of Maharashtra, including Pune, have been hit by heavy rain over the past two days, causing deaths and major disruption to daily life. Roads, underpasses, and railway tracks are flooded, and flights have been delayed or canceled. Local trains, which are the lifeline of Mumbai, were suspended, and schools, colleges, and government offices were closed on Tuesday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a red alert for both Mumbai and Pune. Meteorologists say the heavy rainfall is caused by strong monsoon winds and a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal.

Heavy Rain Hits Maharashtra Hard

Over the last two days, at least six people have died, and hundreds were forced to leave their homes due to floods in various districts of Maharashtra. Roads have been blocked, crops damaged, and many areas remain under water, according to officials cited by PTI. Death reports from different sources have varied. In Mumbai, torrential rain on Monday and Tuesday flooded low-lying areas, slowed down traffic, and disrupted local train services. Along with the disaster management team, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis evaluated the flood situation and said that the next 48 hours would be critical for the districts of Mumbai, Thane, Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg.

Record Rainfall in Mumbai

Mumbai received 300 mm of rain in the 24-hour period from 8 am on August 18 to 8 am on August 19. The city and surrounding areas received 500 mm of rain in the 84 hours preceding Monday.Due to flooded tracks, Central Railway consequently suspended local train operations on the Harbour Line between CSMT and Kurla. In recent rain-related incidents, six people have died across the state. In Mumbai, a 75-year-old watchman lost his life when a compound wall fell at Nepean Sea Road, while another man died due to electrocution in Kanjurmarg.

Worst-hit Areas and Alerts

Nanded was severely affected, with more than 290 people rescued from flooded villages. The State Disaster Response Force and the Army were deployed, and eight deaths were reported due to a “cloudburst-like” situation. The Pune district administration has announced a red alert for August 19, cautioning residents about heavy rain and strong winds, particularly in the ghat areas, and advised them to remain vigilant. In Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation declared a holiday for all government offices and advised private companies to allow work from home, except for essential services. Schools remained closed for two consecutive days. The Mithi River overflowed its banks, causing waterlogging in Kurla and Sakinaka and impacting nearby residential areas as well as railway tracks. Evacuations were carried out in Kranti Nagar (Kurla West).

River Overflow and Weather Forecast

With 11,500 cusecs of water entering the Bhogavati River in western Maharashtra from Kolhapur's Radhanagari Dam, the Panchganga River has breached the danger mark for the ninth time this monsoon.After Roha taluka received more than 160 mm of rain, the Kundalika and Savitri rivers overflowed in Raigad district, Konkan. Consequently, local colleges and schools were shut down. Over the next two days, Konkan, including Mumbai, and portions of central Maharashtra are expected to have further heavy rain, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).Rainfall is predicted to subside later this week, reducing the orange alert that has been issued for Marathwada and Vidarbha.