Hundreds stranded in Mumbai as heavy rain disrupts railway service

Schools and colleges in Mumbai and neighbouring districts were also closed on Monday following a warning by the weather office.

Hundreds of passengers were stuck in India's financial capital, Mumbai, and nearby towns on Monday after two days of heavy rain flooded rivers and undermined railway tracks, forcing authorities to cancel or divert dozens of long-distance trains.

Rivers in the western state of Maharashtra were flooded after authorities released water from dams made full after many parts on the west coast received more than 200 mm (8 inches) of rain.

Trains were cancelled due to the heavy downpours and because a boulder fell on one line, railway authorities said on Twitter.

Schools and colleges in Mumbai and neighbouring districts were also closed on Monday following a warning by the weather office of heavy rainfall, the Maharashtra chief minister's office tweeted.

Financial markets were open in Mumbai, which is often touted as a potential rival to China's financial powerhouse Shanghai but, like many Indian cities, is hampered by poor infrastructure.

Hundreds of houses and a few Hindu temples on the banks of the Godavari river were flooded in the neighbouring town of Nashik after floodwater was released from a dam.

Business Standard

Mumbai flood highlights: Flashback of 26 July 2005, 13 years of Mumbai floods

26 July 2005, a date etched in the memory of every Mumbai citizen. Through pictures, we look at the deadly deluge the city suffered.

26 July 2005 : The rains paralysed the city.The city received a rainfall of 944 mm, a 100-year high, in a span of 24 hours. The rain continued and at least 1,000 people lost their lives and 14,000 homes were destroyed.

37,000 auto rickshaws, 4,000 taxis, 900 BEST buses were damaged, and 10,000 trucks and tempos were grounded. The city had to bear a direct loss of about Rs 5.5 billion.

Local trains came to a halt due to the water-logging on the tracks. 52 local trains were damaged. Water logging led to a dramatic increase in trafiic on road and low-lying regions like Dharavi and Bandra-Kurla Complex were submerged.

There was no Facebook and Twitter then. Thousands of people were stranded due to flooding and could not reach home for up to 24 hours.

The rains could not defeat the indomitable spirit of the Mumbaikars. They were not just helping the fellow citizens but also rescued stray animals.

At present, the monsoon rains and the subsequent flooding keeps on bringing back the memories of the 2005 floods. Almost every year, the monsoon season brings scenes of distress from all across the city, depicting its struggle with rains.

The 2005 floods devastated the city. With the city receiving more rain, more construction, and more garbage, it is now indeed more vulnerable than what it was in 2005.

Wetlands and mangroves need to be looked at as vital infrastructure, as they help reduce the impact of torrential rains by abosrbing water. It is essential to protect them. In addition, one must segregate the waste and should refrain from dumping it in storm-water drains and waterways.

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Mumbaikars to face 2 more days of heavy rains; even Dabbawalas suspend work

Train services were disrupted on Tuesday as incessant rains continued to lash Mumbai and adjoining areas.

Mumbai Rains : Hoping for a respite from the rains in Mumbai? There may not be any for at least some time. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast that heavy to very heavy rainfall is very likely at a few places, and extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places, in the districts of Greater Mumbai, Thane, Raigad, and Palghar from July 10 to July 13, news agency ANI reported on Tuesday.

At least for two more days, including Tuesday, Mumbaikars will have to brave "heavy rains", according to the IMD.

On Tuesday, IMD's local weather report and forecast for Mumbai was: Generally cloudy sky with heavy rain on July 10, generally cloudy sky with heavy rain on July 11, generally cloudy sky with moderate rain on July 12, and generally cloudy sky with moderate rain on July 13.

Train services were disrupted on Tuesday as incessant rains continued to lash Mumbai and adjoining areas.

"Due to heavy rains, up and down through line at Nala Sopara is halted. However, local trains on western suburbs are running late by 10 to 15 minutes between Virar to Churchgate," the Western Railways' Divisional Railway Manager told news agency ANI on Tuesday morning.

Further, Mumbai's Dabbawalas on Tuesday suspended their services due to the rains, reported ANI.

Streets at Gandhi Market, Sion Panvel Highway, Chembur, and Vadala were waterlogged as rain continued to lash the region.

The downpour also led to houses being water-logged in Palghar, causing people inconvenience.

The onset of monsoon has disrupted routine life in pockets of Maharashtra.

As heavy rainfall lashed the city, the Maharashtra education minister on Monday declared a holiday for all schools and colleges in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

Story By BS

Schools shut, trains delayed as heavy rains continue to batter Mumbai

Visibility at the Mumbai airport was 'not very good' but flights were operating according to schedule, an MeT official said.

Mumbai Heavy Rain : Torrential monsoon rains lashed the megapolis and its neighbouring areas, flooding streets, rail tracks and crippling life in the city.

The downpour -- the highest of the season so far in a day -- caused traffic jams as many roads and streets were flooded and people were seen wading through knee-deep water.

Vehicles on many roads were seen crawling because of the rain and low visibility, while potholes compounded the problem.

Several schools declared a holiday today and many office-goers decided to stay at home.

Suburban trains were running late by five to 15 minutes due to water-logging on rail tracks in some places.

According to a Western Railway official, movement of trains on some tracks, which got submerged, had to be stopped but services continued on other tracks with restricted speed.

There was also heavy water-logging in the central areas of Kurla, Sion and Dadar.

Mira Road (in adjoining Thane district), and Nallasopara and Vasai (in Palghar district) were largely affected due to the heavy showers.

Trains under Central Railway were moving slow, but no service was cancelled, an official said.

Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) buses were slightly delayed, but no service was cancelled or suspended, a BEST spokesperson said.

The city's neighbouring areas got even more rains, and roads were submerged.

Visibility at the Mumbai airport was "not very good" but flights were operating according to schedule, an MeT official said, adding no warning has been issued for the aviation sector so far.

The meteorological department has forecast more heavy rains in Mumbai till Tuesday.

The Colaba observatory in south Mumbai recorded 170.6 mm rainfall in the last 24 hours (from 8.30 am yesterday), an official of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

"It is the highest rainfall of the season so far in 24 hours," IMD Mumbai's deputy director general K S Hosalikar told PTI.

The observatory in suburban Santacruz recorded 122 mm showers during the same period, he said, adding, "The city and its suburban areas received a good spell of showers yesterday. Mumbai got a widespread downpour as the rain intensity escalated to very active."

Story By BS