Mumbai rains: 1 person killed in tree fall incident; IMD forecasts more downpours on Thursday

With the Thursday casualty, the overall death tally due to tree falls in 24 hours reached 3 in the financial capital. All three were killed in separate tree fall incidents in Mumbai.

Mumbai:Amid reports of more rains across the City and its suburbs on Thursday, a 22-year-old was killed and another one injured after a tree fell on their hut, officials said. The Thursday casualty has increased the death toll to three, all related to tree fall incidents related to rains. Two persons were killed in separate tree fall incidents in Mumbai's western suburbs on Wednesday.

An 'orange alert' by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast heavy to very heavy rains in six Maharashtra districts - Palghar, Raigad, Thane, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, and Nashik, on Thursday. The weather office has issued a yellow message alert with a forecast of heavy rains across the City and its suburbs.

According to civic officials, no major water logging was reported since early Thursday morning in the city and suburbs as the rain intensity reduced after an overnight heavy spell. Bus services of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) were running without any diversion in the morning, they said. Suburban services on the Central Railway and Western Railway were normal though the trains were running a few minutes late, the officials said.

Tree fall tragedy-At around 2.30 am on Thursday, a huge banyan tree got uprooted at the Indu Oil Mill compound in the Byculla area and fell on a hut, trapping a few persons inside, an official from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said. After getting a call, fire brigade personnel reached the spot, cut the tree branches and brought out two injured persons from the hut. Both of them were rushed to the nearby JJ Hospital where doctors declared one of them, Rehman Khan (22), as "brought dead", the official said. The condition of the other person, Rizwan Khan (20), is "stable" and he is undergoing treatment, he said.

Rainfall data-In the 24-hour period ending at 8.30 am on Thursday, Colaba in south Mumbai received 148 mm rainfall, while Santacruz in western suburbs recorded 121.6 mm rainfall, according to the IMD, Mumbai. As per the BMC, the island city, eastern and western suburbs received an average 93 mm, 127 mm, and 123 mm rainfall, respectively, in the 24-hour period ending at 8 am on Thursday.

The IMD Mumbai measures rainfall at its observatories located in Colaba and Santacruz, while the civic body has its own automatic rain gauges installed at several locations in the city and suburbs. An IMD official here said seven lakes supplying water to Mumbai and neighbouring areas received "extremely heavy" rainfall in the past 24 hours.

Four of these lakes, Vaitarna, Middle Vaitarna, Tansa, and Bhatsa, located in neighbouring Thane district, recorded 144 mm, 137 mm, 109 mm and 137 mm rainfall, respectively. Vihar and Tulsi lakes in Mumbai received 159 mm and 235 mm rainfall, respectively, while the Upper Vaitarna lake in Nashik district recorded 122 mm downpour, the official said.

Rains disrupt life in Bhiwandi: Heavy rains also lashed Bhiwandi in the Thane district. Many villages have been cut off due to flooding. Villages including Junandurkhi, Kambe, Tembhavli, Palivali, Gane, Firingpada, Lakhivli, Chimbipada, Kuhe, Ambarrai, Kuhe, Khadki, Bhuishet, Majivade, Dhamane, Vanini Pada have lost their connection with Bhiwandi city due to waterlogging. Traffic in Bhiwandi City has also been affected due to torrential rains. Tehsildar Achis Patil has warned the citizens to remain alert as the rivers Warna, Kamwari, and Tansa have crossed the danger-level mark due to incessant rains. (With Agency inputs)