Mumbai Rains: Heavy downpour causes waterlogging in many areas; local train services affected, buses diverted

Waterlogging at LBS road, Chunabhatti, in Mumbai. Pic/Pradeep Dhivar

Heavy rainfall in Mumbai and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) on Friday caused waterlogging in several parts of the city. Water-logging was reported from chronic spots of Dadar, Parel, Wadala, Sion, besides low-lying areas in Malad, Santacruz, Dahisar. The city has been experiencing moderate to intense spells of rain since Thursday night.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert indicating heavy rains in parts of Mumbai, Thane and Palghar.

Head of SID at the Climate Research and Services Pune, K S Hosalikar, tweeted, "Water logging being reported at several places & there is no change in RF intensity. Mumbai Radar indicates that this spell could be intense to very intense for sometime."

Another tweet by Hosalikar read, "Latest satellite image at 8.30am indicate very intense clouds over Mumbai suburbs and Thane leading to some very intense spells in last 3,4 Hrs."

Meanwhile, Central Railway PRO Shivaji M Sutar tweeted, "Due to heavy rain and waterlogging on slow line near Kurla-Vidyavihar, trains are running 20-25 minutes late. Slow line traffic b/w Kurla-Vidyavihar diverted on fast line. Harbor line also running 20-25 mins late. Trans- Harbor line traffic is running smoothly."

Local train services are currently running only for personnel engaged in health and other essential services, and are out of bound for general commuters in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The BEST buses have also been curtailed/diverted.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is on an alert mode and the water levels of Mithi River are being monitored.

The entire North Konkan area comprising the twin districts of Mumbai City and Mumbai Suburban, neighbouring districts of Palghar, Thane and Raigad which comprise the MMR is getting heavy rainfall.

The BMC said in the past 24 hours till 8 am (Friday), the city received 64.45 mm, 127.16 mm in Western Suburbs and 120.67 mm in Eastern Suburbs, and it continues to pour since daybreak on Friday.

IMD's Colaba and Santacruz observatories have recorded 1055.6 mm and 1291.6 mm rainfall since June 1.

(With agency inputs)