Maharashtra rains: IMD issues red alert for Mumbai, 3 other districts; BMC declares holiday for schools, colleges today

Mumbai's civic authority, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, has on Wednesday declared a holiday for all schools, colleges on July 27 as IMD has issued extremely heavy rainfall warning (red alert) for the capital of Maharashtra and three districts of the state till Thursday afternoon.

BMC requested all citizens to stay alert and stay indoors as incessant heavy rain lashed Mumbai the whole day, slowing down road traffic.

"Indian Meteorological Department (Mumbai) has issued Extremely Heavy Rainfall Warning (Red Alert) for Mumbai City & Suburban area from 8pm today till tomorrow afternoon. In view of this, considering the safety of students as a top priority, the Municipal Commissioner and Administratior Dr. Iqbal Singh Chahal has declared a holiday for all Municipal, Government and Private primary, secondary and higher secondary schools and all colleges in the Mumbai City and Suburbs, on tomorrow Thursday, 27 July 2023. BMC requests all citizens to stay alert, stay indoors and kindly follow instructions from the administration," said BMC on Twitter.

In its 8 pm forecast, IMD issued 'red alert' for Mumbai, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts, valid from 8 pm on Wednesday till July 27 afternoon.

"Heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places with extremely heavy rainfall is very likely at isolated places on Wednesday," said the weather bureau about the forecast for four districts, including Mumbai.

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Earlier in the afternoon, the India Meteorological Department issued an orange alert for the metropolis and neighbouring Thane, Raigad and Palghar districts predicting heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places for July 26 and 27.

Incessant heavy rain lashed Mumbai the whole day, slowing down road traffic but services of suburban trains remained normal with slight delays.

Several areas, including Fort, Colaba, Nariman Point, Elphinstone Road, Grant Road, and suburbs including Andheri, Marol, Jogeshwari, and Goregaon received more than 100 mm of rainfall in 12 hours ended at 8 pm on Wednesday.

The island city, eastern suburbs, and western suburbs received an average rainfall of 92.82 mm, 80.13 mm, and 94.13 mm, respectively, during the same period, as per the data shared by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.

The Colaba observatory of IMD recorded 124.8 mm of rainfall in 12 hours ending at 8:30 pm and the Santacruz observatory (Mumbai suburbs) 124 mm during the same period.

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The island city received heavy rainfall mainly between 3 pm and 4 pm, while heavy downpours pummelled western suburbs from 6 pm to 7 pm.

No major waterlogging was reported in the metropolis till 8 pm, civic officials said.

Andheri subway, an underpass between Andheri and Jogeshwari railway stations, was closed for traffic a couple of times since morning due to waterlogging.

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The heavy rain, however, slowed down road traffic but services of local trains and BEST buses are normal with some delays.

A spokesperson of BEST said buses on at least half a dozen routes were diverted in Andheri, Kurla and Aarey Colony due to waterlogging.

BEST operates fleets of buses in greater Mumbai limits and also in Navi Mumbai, Thane, and Mira-Bhayander.

With inputs from PTI

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