Maharashtra rains: Schools, junior colleges shut in Thane amid heavy rainfall

Representative image/iStock

Due to heavy rainfall in the Thane region in Maharashtra, the local administration declared a holiday for schools and junior colleges on Friday, an official statement read.

For Friday, the IMD has issued a 'orange' alert for Thane, predicting heavy rainfall at isolated places.

IN PHOTOS: Lake levels that supply water to Mumbai at 61.58 per cent, says BMC

1 year agoPHOTO GALLERY

On Thursday, heavy rains lashed parts of Thane district. Many families were shifted to safety from several residential areas mainly due to water-logging.

Meanwhile, a 32-year-old man was swept away in a swollen nullah near a creek in Kalwa while he was fishing amid intense showers.

"Many low-lying areas in Bhiwandi and Mira Bhayandar in Thane district, while Vasai and Virar in Palghar district were inundated," the officials said.

As per the officials, the entire Ghodbunder Road, which connects the western part of Thane to its east side, has been flooded since morning, which has affected the movement of traffic with several vehicles getting stuck in the middle of the road, he said.

Thane city's DCP (Traffic) Vinaykumar Rathod said in a release that there was a heavy traffic jam on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway due to water-logging and potholes, as a result of which the vehicles heading towards Thane, Mumbai and Nashik were diverted to the Chinchoti-Bhiwandi route, due to which there is traffic jam on the Mumbai-Nashik highway as well.

Therefore, people are advised travel only if it is necessary, he said.

Since the water levels in Idgah slum colony and Teen Batti Naka locality were rising, the firemen were shifting the people to safer locations, the official said.

As a result of incessant rainfall in the catchment area, the Tansa dam started overflowing and 15 of its gates were opened, from where 1,65,000 cusecs of water was being discharged, officials said.

(with inputs from PTI)