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.

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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."

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Mumbai rains and Andheri bridge collapse: Mumbai civic body on high alert after heavy rain forecast

A road overbridge, built in 1971, collapsed near the eastern side of the Andheri railway station and a part of it fell on rail tracks on Tuesday, injuring five people and affecting traffic.

Mumbai Heavy Rainfall : Mumbai’s civic agency is on alert after heavy rains forecast for the city and says all precautionary measures have been taken.

Heavy rainfall is very likely at isolated places in the districts of Greater Mumbai, Thane and Raigad in the next 24 hours, a weather official said on Tuesday.

A road overbridge, built in 1971, collapsed near the eastern side of the Andheri railway station and a part of it fell on rail tracks during Tuesday morning showers, injuring five people and affecting rail and road traffic.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said it was the Railways’ responsibility to regularly check and maintain the overbridge.

“The area where a portion of the bridge collapsed comes under the Railways. Therefore, it was Railways' duty to conduct a safety audit and carry out maintenance of the bridge," a senior BMC engineer said.

The Western Railway has succeeded in restoring services on the Harbour corridor to minimise the inconvenience caused to passengers. The Central Railway too is providing manpower and equipment.

After the Andheri overbridge collapse, Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said 445 bridges in Mumbai suburban will undergo safety audit.

"I got the design of this bridge studied. This bridge is Cantilever bridge and is around 40 years old. Safety audit will be done of 445 bridges in Mumbai suburban. As per findings of audit, necessary action will be taken at the earliest," he said.