Rain-related incidents rise as torrential showers pound MMR

In Thane, nearly 11 people were injured in several tree collapse related accidents on Thursday. The India Meteorolog-ical Department (IMD) issued a red alert for Palghar, Thane and Raigad on Thursday and Friday, indicating continuation of extreme torrential rain.

Over the past 24-hours Thane city recorded 213 mm of rain. The satellite towns of Ulhasnagar and Ambernath, located in Thane district recorded 214 mm and 229 mm of rain in the last 24-hours. Karjat in Raigad district recorded 246 mm of rain, while the satellite towns of Vasai-Virar recorded 346 mm of rain.

IMD officials maintained that Mumbai along with regions in MMR are experiencing heavy to very heavy rainfall owing to a cyclonic formation that has developed above the Bay of Bengal. The officials also added that over the next 24 hours, the intensity of rain will gradually begin to reduce.

“At present, a red alert has been issued for the districts like Thane, Palghar and Raigad due to a low pressure that has developed in the Bay of Bengal which is causing intense rainfall mainly in the Konkan belt of Maharashtra,” Sushma Nair, scientist from IMD, Mumbai told Express on Thursday.

“Depending on the movement of the low-pressure, the alert will be updated again. However, it is quite possible that the rain will recede gradually and Mumbai will not experience such intense rain that it has been witnessing for the past 48 hours,” Nair said.

The IMD’s bulletin said that the low pressure is likely to move slowly north westwards across Odisha coast during next 2-3 days.

Meanwhile, rainfall related incidents continued to take place in MMR districts on Thursday.

One person lost his life and four other people sustained injuries after a portion of a residential building came down crashing in Bhayander (East) at around 10 am on Thursday. The building – Nav Kirti Cooperative Housing Society (CHS) was declared as dilapidated by the local civic administration.

According to local ward officials, the deceased was a shoe shiner who had come to that locality for breakfast when the incident happened. The body of the deceased was stuck under the debris after the incident and later recovered by the fire brigade.

On Thursday morning, 20 people who were travelling in a public bus were rescued by the local authorities by using float-tires and ropes after the bus developed a technical snag due to getting stuck in a waterlogged street for extended hours. No injury or death was reported from this incident.

In Thane, a total 15 tree collapse incidents were reported, which injured close to 11 people in multiple pockets.

A portion of an asbestos roof in the Naik chawl at Khartan Road collapsed on Thursday morning, however no casualty was reported from this place.

Holiday for schools

As the heavy rain warning continues, holiday declared for schools in Thane, Navi Mumbai and Palghar on Friday. This is applicable to classes nursery to 12 in all schools irrespective of the board they are affiliated to.

Meanwhile,  ongoing supplementary exam by the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education will continue as per the schedule.