At least eight people were killed and five injured in rain-related incidents in Maharashtra on Friday, PTI reported. In Mumbai alone, three persons were killed as heavy rains lashed the city.
The three people were killed of electrocution, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said. The deceased were identified as Kashima Yudiyar, 60, from Andheri East, Rajendra Yadav, 60, and Sanjay Yadav, 24, both from Goregaon. Two others were injured in the Goregaon incident and were hospitalised.
Three persons were injured when a portion of a wall collapsed in Dadar East. The wounded were taken to KEM Hospital.
In Palghar town in Maharashtra, an eight-year-old boy died after being struck by lightning, and two labourers were killed in Akola. Two persons, including a teenage girl, were killed in rain-related incidents in Nashik district, which experienced heavy rainfall for the fourth straight day.
The Mumbai branch of the India Meteorological Department said there will be an intense spell of heavy rains in the districts of Greater Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, Nasik and Pune. It said for the next 48 hours the minimum and maximum temperatures is likely to be around 30 degree Celsius and 24 degree Celsius, respectively.
Waterlogging was reported in several parts of Nashik city, including Saraf Bazar, near the mayor’s official residence, Gangapur Road and Old Agra Road.
Heavy rains in Mumbai also led to heavy traffic congestion and waterlogging in some areas, PTI reported. The civic body said that the flow of traffic has been reported to be slow, while suburban services of the Central and Western Railways were running behind schedule.
The ongoing metro rail work and waterlogging at some places has also led to few buses of Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport, or BEST, to be diverted from their regular routes, an unidentified BMC spokesperson told the agency.
Heavy traffic congestion affected the movement of vehicles on the Mulund-Sion stretch of the Eastern Express Highway, the spokesperson said. The BMC had to close a busy subway in suburban Andheri due to waterlogging, he added.
The Thane railway station also reported waterlogging on tracks and the local civic administration was alerted subsequently. “Water entered on tracks from the city area,” Central Railway chief spokesperson said. “The TMC [Thane Municipal Corporation] has been informed. The TMC is sending officials to check and do the needful. Our officers are there to help.”
The BMC requested citizens not to drive into waterlogged areas till the water is pumped out. “We understand you may get slightly delayed but let’s not compromise on safety,” the civic body tweeted.
According to Flightradar24, a Swedish internet-based service that shows real-time commercial flight information, there was an average delay of 40 minutes in departures at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport.
However, the rains have brought relief as water levels in the lakes were dipping and the civic body was using its reserve stock.
Here’s some pictures of the first spell of heavy rains:
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