Mumbai: Heavy rains lashed Mumbai and neighbouring Thane district overnight, causing water-logging at several places and affecting local train services and road traffic movement on Tuesday morning, officials said.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has appealed to residents to stay at home and urged commercial establishments, except those providing essential services, to remain closed on Tuesday as heavy rains are likely to continue for next 48 hours.
The India Meteorological Department has issued a red alert Mumbai, North Konkan, and Thane districts of Maharashtra for the next 48 hours following incessant rains in the regions.
Landslides have also been reported from parts of Mumbai due to the heavy rainfalls throughout the night. Severe waterlogging was also witnessed in several parts of Mumbai on Tuesday.
"Landslide ! at Time of India, next Samta Nagar police station, highway, Mumbai. Red Alert for RF, for North Konkan, next 48 hrs," said Deputy Director General (DDG) of India Meteorological Department (IMD), Mumbai KS Hosalikar in a tweet.
Suburban train services on the harbour line were stopped in the morning due to water-logging on rail tracks while services on the western and central lines were also affected, a civic official said.
Local trains in Mumbai and suburbs are currently being operated only for those involved in essential services in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.
A landslide near suburban Kandivali disrupted vehicular movement from western suburbs towards south Mumbai, the official said.
Traffic movement from Byculla to south Mumbai was also affected due to inundation at some places, he said.
The Santacruz observatory in western suburbs recorded 254 mm rainfall since Monday night while the Colaba observatory in south Mumbai recorded 220 mm rain during the same period, India Meteorological Department (IMD), Mumbai, Deputy Director General K S Hosalikar said.
The weather station at Mahalaxmi recorded 172 mm rain, while that at Vidyavihar reported 159 mm rain. Besides, the weather stations at Ram Mandir (near Goregaon in western suburbs) and Mira Road recorded a rainfall of 152 mm each.
The other weather stations in north Mumbai and Thane also recorded over 150 mm rainfall. The trend would continue for next 48 hours, the official said.
The BMC has deployed high capacity water pumps to discharge water from streets in Byculla, Bhandup and some other areas, a civic official said.
The civic body appealed to commercial and business establishments, except those involved in essential services, to remain shut in view of the heavy downpour.
"Residents should also stay at home and avoid venturing out, the BMC said in a statement.
Landslide on WEH after heavy rain, traffic movement affected
Heavy overnight rain caused a landslide on the Western Express Highway in suburban Kandivaliearly in the morning, affecting vehicular movement from the western suburbs towards south Mumbai.
" No casualty was reported in the incident," a fire control room official said.
Heavy rain in Thane; man electrocuted, building plaster falls
A person got electrocuted after accidentally touching an electric pole in Maharashtra's Thane city on Tuesday morning following heavy overnight rains.
"The man was standing near a temple in Ovla area on Ghodbunder Road when he accidentally touched the electric pole and got electrocuted around 8.30 am," an official from Kasarwadavali police station said.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), heavy rains are likely to continue for the next two days.
Holiday declared for govt offices in Mumbai
The Maharashtra government announced a holiday for all its offices in Mumbai city and suburbs on Tuesday in view of the heavy rainfall in the metropolis and neighbouring areas.
Heavy showers caused water-logging at several places in the city and disrupted local train services and road traffic movement.
"Due to the heavy rainfall in Mumbai and the suburban region and prediction of (more) heavy rainfall by the IMD, the holiday has been declared for all state government offices in the Mumbai and Mumbai suburban region today," the state relief and rehabilitation department said in official communication.
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(With inputs from agencies)
