Mumbai rained out; air, road, rail services hit; 500 evacuated after Mithi level rises

Mumbai: Mumbai received a record rainfall of nearly 300 mm, while a rise in the Mithi river level triggered evacuation of 400-500 people as the second straight day of downpour on Tuesday severely disrupted road, rail traffic and crippled normal life.

Flooded streets which resembled rivers at several places, stranded commuters and vehicles struggling to navigate the inundated roads once again highlighted the financial capital's annual challenge in dealing with the monsoon rains.

Commuters faced severe hardship as local train services of the Central Railway were disrupted on its main and harbour lines due to submergence of tracks due to torrential rains, while flight operations, too, were affected.

At some places, rail tracks were submerged under as much as 17 inches of water, officials said.

At least eight flights were diverted and many were delayed at the Mumbai airport. Airlines informed passengers about flight delays due to persistent rain, and low-visibility procedures were put in place intermittently.

According to sources, six flights of IndiGo and one each of SpiceJet and Air India were diverted to nearby airports, including Surat, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad.

"Mumbai has witnessed a record rainfall of nearly 300 mm. The city's lifeline -- suburban trains -- have slowed down. The Mithi river (which runs through Mumbai) reached the danger-level mark and 400 to 500 persons had to be evacuated," Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told reporters after the weekly cabinet meeting.

On Monday, the metropolis had received 170 mm rainfall in just 8 hours.

The Central Railway suspended its suburban services on the main between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (in south Mumbai) and Thane and on the harbour line between CSMT and Kurla.

Water rose up to eight inches above the tracks in Sion and Kurla sections, prompting the railway authorities to suspend train operations.

Some long distance trains were also rescheduled or cancelled and the Central Railway (CR) set up help desks at various stations to help the stranded passengers, they said.

A large number of commuters were inconvenienced and many were forced to jump out of the stranded trains and walk through the waterlogged tracks. Civic personnel distributed biscuits to the stranded passengers in some places.

Schools, colleges, government and semi-government offices remained shut and the Bombay High Court functioned only till 12.30 pm due to the incessant rains.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a 'red alert' for Konkan region, including Mumbai, Thane, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Palghar districts and adjoining ghat areas of central Maharashtra, warning of extremely heavy rainfall till Wednesday.

The IMD said widespread rainfall was very likely over Konkan and Madhya Maharashtra's ghat regions, with heavy to very heavy showers at several places and isolated extremely heavy rainfall.

Both local and long distance trains heading for Mumbai were short terminated at Thane station. No trains were running between Thane-CSMT, and Mankhurd-CSMT as the tracks were covered in water due to the Mithi river overflowing, the CR said.

Tracks on both the Central and Western Railway routes were indunted at several locations like Parel, Curry Road, Byculla, Dadar, Matunga Road, Mahim and other locations.

The NDRF rescued a man who was being swept away in the Mithi river at Filterpada in Powai, officials said.

Five NDRF teams have been deployed at Kranti Nagar, Kurla and were carrying out rescue operations, they said.

Schools and colleges were also shut in Mumbai in view of the relentless rains.

The Directorate of Higher Education declared a holiday for all senior colleges in the Konkan region of Maharashtra. The order applies to colleges in Palghar, Thane, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts.

Several parts of the city, including Borivali, Andheri, Sion, Dadar and Chembur, witnessed intense downpour through the night and the rain continued in the morning as well, resulting in water-logging in low-lying areas.

Waterlogging was also reported at Hindmata, Andheri Subway and in some parts of the Eastern Express Highway, Mumbai-Gujarat highway and the Eastern Freeway.

The Mithi river in Mumbai swelled after continuous heavy rain for the last few days and as a result, some areas along its banks witnessed water-logging, according to officials.

A video of the Mithi river, possibly shot from a bridge near the Powai lake, showed the furious flow of the water.

As many as 525 pumps, 10 mini pumping stations and six main pumping stations were engaged in draining out rainwater, said Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

The city received 37 per cent of its average August rainfall during the 54-hour period from 8.30 am on August 17 to 2:30 pm on Tuesday (August 19), said a release from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.

On Tuesday, Vikhroli East received 268 mm of rain, Marol 262 mm, Passpoli in Powai 257 mm, Versova 250 mm and Forsbery reservoir in F-South ward 220 mm between 4 am and 3 pm, the BMC said.

In the 24 hours ended 8.30 am on Tuesday, the western suburbs recorded the highest downpour with Chincholi fire station recording 361 mm of rain, Kandivali fire station 337 mm, Dindoshi municipal school 305 mm and Magathane bus depot 304 mm.

In the island city of south Mumbai, the rain gauges at Storm Water Drainage Workshop in Dadar and B Nadkarni municipal school in Wadala recorded 300 mm and 282 mm of rain during the same period.