The Mumbai Police on Saturday cautioned commuters to leave their home only if necessary after there was incessant rainfall in the city through the day. The city and its adjoining areas received heavy rainfall since the night before, the Hindustan Times reported. The Indian Meteorological Department had predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall in the city and its suburbs.
Heavy rain also disrupted normal life in neighbouring Thane and Palghar districts. A person died of electrocution in Thane, while another person was seriously injured, PTI reported. Schools and colleges were closed in Mumbai, Thane and Palghar.
A high tide hit the city in the afternoon. “The highest high tide of the four monsoon months is also today of 4.90 metres at afternoon, exactly during the period when IMD has forecast intense rains for the city,” Met department senior officer KS Hosalikar said in a tweet. “Heavy rainfall warnings on very high tide day in Mumbai is not a good combination please. Avoid outing, beaches.” He added that Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai will receive intense rainfall in the next 24 to 36 hours.
The rainfall caused water logging in several roads in Mumbai and Central Railway said trains were running at a “cautious speed” as a precautionary measure. It said suburban services were running on all lines but with some delays. Several BEST bus routes were diverted and a few were suspended. The government has ordered the National Disaster Response Force, the State Disaster Response Fund and other relief teams to be on standby across state to respond to any untoward situation.
Several areas in the city were water-logged following the overnight rains. “Overnight heavy rains in Mumbai and its adjoining areas has led to water-logging at some paces, which has affected the flow of traffic, especially in parts of Malad, Andheri and Dahisar,” a senior BMC official said.
Suburban train services were running at least 15 minutes late. Services between Kurla and Sion were suspended in the afternoon due to the high tide and rise in water level. Flight operations at the Mumbai airport have not been affected, officials told PTI.
Meanwhile, schools and colleges were closed in Surat and South Gujarat on Saturday because of extremely heavy rainfall, The Indian Express reported. The water level in five creeks of the Tapi river went up, and the river was flowing in full force on both of its banks. The water in the Mithi creek went above the danger mark. Local municipal authorities asked people living near the banks to be ready in case they have to be shifted.
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