Heavy rains across Mumbai and suburban regions crippled normal life Sunday, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicting “intermittent rain with heavy to very heavy showers” in the city and extremely heavy rains at isolated places in the coming 24 hours.
Mumbai: All schools, colleges closed tomorrow
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said all private and public schools and colleges would remain shut on Monday. “Some government offices providing emergency and essential services will remain open. Private office staff may move out only if essential. All government and semi-government employees in MMR Region are allowed to report late on their duties,” the BMC tweeted.
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Parts of neighbouring Thane, Palghar districts and Navi Mumbai town also witnessed incessant rains, which resulted in flooding in several parts. The heavy downpour is the result of the development of an Upper Air Cyclonic Circulation (UAC) in the Arabian Sea and Bay Low, weather experts said.
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At least 400 people from a residential area of Kranti Nagar located near the Mithi river in Mumbai were shifted after it crossed the danger mark. The people were moved to a civic-run school. Meanwhile, a 23-year-old man, identified as Raja Mehboob Shaikh, was feared drowned after he fell into the Dharavi creek.
Flood-like situation in several districts
A flood-like situation has developed in Nashik district after water was released from Gangapur dam into the Godavari river. More than 20,000 cusecs (cubic foot per second) of water was released from the Gangapur dam on Sunday morning, which led to the Godavari river flowing above the danger mark.
The excess water released saw several temples located on the banks of the river getting submerged. At 8 am, around 26,150 cusecs of water were released from Darna dam into the river following heavy showers. Around 60 people from Saykheda village were shifted to a safer place.
A submerged view of tracks near Thane railway station. (Express photo by Deepak Joshi)
Meanwhile, officials in Pune issued an advisory, asking people to be alert as the situation could turn critical, and ordered schools and colleges to be shut on Monday. Low-lying areas in the district were on alert after water was released into the Mutha river.
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“We have issued an advisory for citizens asking them not to venture out of their houses unless absolutely necessary as the situation might get critical,” district collector Naval Kishore Ram was quoted as saying by PTI.
IAF, Navy deployed in rescue operations
At least 58 people, who were stranded at a village in Thane, were rescued by the Indian Air Force (IAF) Sunday. The people were stuck at their water-logged homes in Ju-Nandkhuri village in Khadavli area of the district since morning.
“Around 58 villagers, including 16 children, were rescued and shifted to a safer place,” a defence spokesperson was quoted as saying by PTI. Two columns of the Army, comprising 120 personnel, was also deployed in Thane to help in the rescue efforts.
Thanking the IAF, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “Thank you Indian Air Force for the quick help and safely rescuing 56 villagers from Khadavali in Thane district.”
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Maha govt seeks additional NDRF deployment
The Maharashtra government sought atleast six more teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) for rescue and relief operations. “The state government is in touch with the NDRF, Army, Navy and other agencies also,” the CMO said.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is currently in Gondia as part of his ongoing ‘Maha Janadesh Yatra’, spoke to Public Works Department Minister Eknath Shinde and asked Chief Secretary Ajoy Mehta to oversee the relief measures. “The government has requested for six more NDRF teams for Mumbai, Thane and Palghar in view of the heavy rains,” the statement said.
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) workers clear the garbage washed ashore during high tide, on the promenade along the Marine Drive. (PTI Photo)
Traffic, train services disrupted
In the last 24 hours, Mumbai received 100 mm rain while the suburbs, Thane and Navi Mumbai got more than 250 mm downpour, IMD’s deputy director K S Hosalikar said. Due to the accumulation of water on tracks at a few sections, the Central Railway’s services on the Main Line and Harbour Line between the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (in Mumbai) and Karjat, Kasaraand Khopoli were suspended since 8 am, its chief spokesman Sunil Udasi said.
Due to the downpour, the Mumbai-Goa national highway was shut for road traffic due to rise in the water levels of Jagbudi and Vashishti rivers in the Konkan region. In Palghar, heavy rains led to water levels rising over the tracks in some sections, leading to the suspension of train services between Vasai and Virar towns in the morning hours, PTI quoted a Western Railway official as saying. All Mail and Express trains were stopped on the Western line due to flooding on tracks near Nalasopara.
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While the Navy teams are stationed in Kalyan, Army teams are being sent to Shahapur and one team will be kept on standby for Thane city. (Express Photo by Pradip Das)
A submerged view of tracks near Thane railway station. (Express photo by Deepak Joshi)
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) workers clear the garbage washed ashore during high tide, on the promenade along the Marine Drive. (PTI Photo)
