Heavy rains lash Mumbai, waterlogging in low-lying areas

While road traffic was badly affected in the arterial roads of Mumbai, the trains of Central Railway and Western Railway continued running. Credit: PTI Photo

Heavy rains lashed the financial capital of Mumbai and the rest of the coastal Konkan belt of Maharashtra affecting the normal life bringing the road traffic to a snail’s pace on Tuesday.

Traffic on the Mumbai-Goa Highway was badly affected because of overflowing rivers and a series of landslides.

In Mumbai, water-logging was reported from various chronic spots where water gushed into the low-lying areas and roads.

While road movement was badly affected, Central and Western Railways were running.

At least 11 teams of NDRF and SDRF have been deployed across the state. While nine teams have been deployed in Mumbai-Konkan one team each has been deployed in Nanded in Marathwada region and one in Gadchiroli in Vidarbha region.

Read | IMD warns of very heavy rains over central India, west coast

The entire Mumbai metropolitan region comprising twin districts of Mumbai City and Mumbai Suburban, North Konkan districts of Palghar, Thane and Raigad and South Konkan districts of Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg has been experiencing heavy rainfall.

On an average 100 to 200 mm rainfall has been reported in the last 24 hours, according to reports collated by the IMD units in Mumbai and Pune.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis reviewed the situation and asked the administration to be on high alert.

“We have reviewed the situation and wherever necessary NDRF/SDRF is being deployed. The administrative machinery is on alert,” Fadnavis said in Nagpur. NDRF teams are stationed at Chiplun and at Mahad in the Raigad district where landslides have been reported.

The Regional Meteorological Centre of IMD has forecast heavy rains for the next few days.

"Entire west coast from South Gujarat to Kerala is covered with dense clouds. Possibilities of heavy to very heavy rains with isolated extremely heavy rainfall is on cards for Konkan-Goa and adjoining Madhya Maharashtra including Kolhapur, Satara, Pune and Nashik Ghat, said KS Hosalikar, said Scientist-G and Head-IMD-Pune.

In Mumbai waterlogging was reported from areas like Sion, Wadala, Kings Circle, Bhandup, Parel, Kurla and Nehru Nagar where people waded through knee-deep or waist-deep water.

Clogged subways hampered East-West traffic movement and traffic crawling at a snail’s pace on the two highways.

Vashishth and Jagbudi rivers of Ratnagiri districts were flooded at several places and flowing above the danger marks in some areas.