Mumbai and its suburbs will receive moderate to heavy rainfall over the next 24 hours, with a possibility of very heavy showers at isolated places, the India Meteorological Department predicted on Tuesday.
The weather agency issued an orange alert in Mumbai for the entire week, warning authorities to be prepared to tackle intense rainfall, The Times of India reported. It has predicted that extremely heavy rain may take place at isolated places in the city on July 7 and 8.
Till 8 am on Tuesday, Mumbai received an average 95.81 mm rainfall, PTI reported. The eastern and western suburbs recorded 115.09 mm and 116.73 mm rainfall.
The rain has caused waterlogging and traffic jams in the city. The Golibar, Milan, Andheri and Malad subways in the northwestern part of the city were closed for traffic and commuters were diverted to alternate routes, NDTV reported.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde visited the disaster management room of Mumbai’s civic body to take stock of the situation. Earlier in the day, he directed the National Disaster Response Force and other government agencies to remain prepared as heavy rains battered many parts of the state.
Two units of the National Disaster Response Force have been deployed in the Kolhapur district on account of the rising water levels in rivers, Shinde said. However, there are currently no floods in the district, he said.
Several units for the response force have also been stationed in Mumbai, Raigad and Palghar as a precautionary measure.
Mumbai traffic control announced eight route diversions at Sion Road number 24 and Shell Colony, Chembur, due to waterlogging, the Hindustan Times reported. The traffic was normal in Hindmata and Gandhi market areas which are normally prone to flooding, according to the
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.
Local train services are operating normally.
“Trains on all corridors are running smoothly, though it’s raining in the CSMT-Kurla-Thane section,” said Shivaji Sutar, Central Railway’s chief public relations officer, PTI reported.
The Kundalika river in Raigad district, located near Mumbai, crossed the danger mark, PTI reported citing an official statement.
In Thane, boulders rolled down from a hillock due to heavy rainfall. A house collapsed in Palghar, PTI reported.
Thane city received 146 mm rainfall till 8.30 am on Tuesday, according to a release issued by the regional disaster management cell chief Avinash Sawant.
Many low-lying areas in Kalyan and Bhiwandi towns of Thane district were flooded and several residents were taken to shelters, he added.
On Monday, a yellow alert was issued by the Indian Meteorological Department for Thane and Mumbai predicting heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places over the next five days.
Maharashtra on alert
The India Meteorological Department on Tuesday issued an orange alert for the south Konkan region for residents and authorities to be vigilant about the rain, PTI reported.
A yellow alert was issued for north Konkan, north central and south central Maharashtra and Marathwada regions.
The Marathwada region could witness thunderstorms with heavy rain and gusty winds with a speed of 40-50 kmph on Tuesday, the Indian Meteorological Department said.
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