Overnight rain disrupted normal life in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Thane with water logging, delayed suburban train services, and traffic snarls reported across the city on Thursday. Heavy rain lashed the Island City and the suburbs with Colaba observatory recording 145.8 m.m. in 24 hours till 8 a.m., while Santacruz registered 104.1 m.m.
Traffic jams were reported on all major arterial roads, including the Eastern and Western Express Highway, Sion-Panvel highway, Vikroli-Andheri link Road, S.V. Road, and LBS Marg. Water-logging was reported in low-lying areas of Parel and Sion, but the water cleared out within an hour.
The catchment areas of the seven reservoirs received good rainfall, with 139 m.m. at Vehar and 97 m.m. at Tulsi. While four of the lakes had touched the overflow mark, Upper Vaitrna, Bhatsa and Middle Vaitarna are close to their full capacity.
In Vasai, fire brigade personnel evacuated around 400 people. In Virar East, Bhatane bridge was submerged after 115 m.m. of rain. The district administration issued an alert in neighbouring villages like Bhatane, Jambhulpada, Navsai, Hattipada, Kajupada, and Aadane.
State Health Minister Deepak Sawant was stranded for close to three hours on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway where Vesave bridge has been closed for repairs creating a jam at Kharegaon toll plaza. Mr. Sawant chose to get down from the vehicle, and walk two kilometres where alternative transport was arranged for him.
In Ratnagiri district, Rangi, Chorad and Jagbudi rivers were swollen, cutting off 32 villages. Dapoli-Khed road was jammed with traffic.
Weather stations at Dahanu Road recorded 111.5 m.m. rain, Mahabaleshwar 106.2 m.m., Harnail 218.9 m.m., Alibaug 72.8 m.m., and Ratnagiri 38.9 m.m., in the last 24 hours.
Skymet Weather said, “In the next 24 hours, the city is expected to receive some intermittent rains. These good monsoon showers can be attributed to the cyclonic circulation over Saurashtra and Gujarat.”