Maharashtra rain updates: Schools, colleges in Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Palghar, Raigad to remain closed on August 5

Met office forecasts intermittent rain with heavy to very heavy showers in Mumbai and suburbs and extremely heavy rain at isolated places.

August 04, 2019 11:53 am | Updated August 05, 2019 08:27 am IST - Mumbai

Submerged cars at Pallava Society in Dombivali after torrential rains on August 3, 2019. Photo: Special Arrangement

Submerged cars at Pallava Society in Dombivali after torrential rains on August 3, 2019. Photo: Special Arrangement

Heavy rain in Mumbai and adjoining regions disrupted life for the second consecutive day on August 4, throwing train services off the track, disrupting air traffic and causing power outages in neighbouring Thane and Palghar districts.

Mumbai received 204 mm until August 4 morning, less than its neighbouring towns of Thane and Virar, but the third highest 24-hour August rainfall in a decade. This also marked the completion of total ‘normal’ rainfall for the season, with 2374.2 mm above the average seasonal rainfall of 2317.1 mm received between June and September.

 

Also read: Full list of cancelled and diverted trains

Here are the latest updates from the Mumbai bureau:

 

10.15 p.m.

 

Central Railway has this update for suburban services tomorrow:

“In view of widespread devastation caused due to unprecedented rains during the last two days, the following has been planned :

“Depending upon the conditions tomorrow, CR will run it's Suburban Services from CSMT to Kalyan, CSMT to Goregaon, CSMT to Panvel, Thane to Panvel & on 4th corridor to Kharkopar.

“Depending upon the weather conditions, services from Kalyan to Badlapur & Kasara will be decided tomorrow morning.

“Services beyond Badlapur will not be possible tomorrow due to large-scale damage to tracks, inspite of repairs undertaken on war footing.”

9.45 p.m.

 

IAF chopper on rescue mission to Palghar returns due to poor visibility

An Indian Air Force helicopter on a sortie to rescue flood-affected people in Maharashtra’s Palghar district had to return to Mumbai due to heavy rains and poor visibility, officials said.

On being alerted by the State administration that 15 people were stranded in Buranda village in Palghar, over 100 km from Mumbai, an IAF Mi-17 chopper was sent, an official said.

The helicopter, however, had to return in the evening to Santacruz in Mumbai without completing the rescue mission as the people were not located at the designated place and also due to heavy rains causing poor visibility, he said.

Earlier in the day, at least 58 people stranded in waterlogged homes in Ju-Nandkhuri village in Khadavli area of Thane were rescued.

“Around 58 villagers, including 16 children, were shifted to a safer place,” he said.

Mumbai, Thane, Palghar and Navi Mumbai have been witnessing incessant rains since the last two days.

According to India Meteorological Department Deputy Director KS Hosalikar, in the last 24 hours, Mumbai received 100 mm rain while the suburbs Thane and Navi Mumbai recorded a rainfall of over 250 mm.

The IMD has forecast intermittent rain with heavy to very heavy showers in the city and suburbs and extremely heavy rain at isolated places for the next 24 hours.

 

8.45 p.m.

Schools, colleges to remain closed tomorrow

All schools, colleges in Mumbai city, Mumbai suburbs, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Palghar, Raigad will be closed on August 5, the Maharashtra government has announced.

Thane district collector Rajesh Narvekar has issued orders to this effect. He said the schools will remain shut on August 5 as a precautionary measure.

Palghar district collector Kailas Shinde also declared a holiday for all the schools in the district.

8.20 p.m.

 

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis spoke to the Chief Secretary and asked to take a decision about declaring a holiday tomorrow to schools & colleges in Mumbai & MMR, by taking advise from the IMD.

8 p.m.

 

Boy killed, sister injured in wall collapse near Pune

A 10-year-old boy was killed and his younger sister injured after a wall of their house collapsed in Lonavala, around 90 kilometres from Pune, police said. The incident happened at around 7.30 a.m. when deceased Kunal Ajay Dodke and his 9-year-old sister Nandini were asleep in their house while their father was away, the official said. He said the wall collapse might have been caused by heavy rains the area has been witnessing over the past couple of days.

 

7.15 p.m.

IAF helicopter fails to rescue stranded people in Palghar district

Meanwhile, the IAF helicopter which had left to rescue 15 people stranded in Buranda village, Palghar district has returned back to base without the stranded people. They were not located at the designated co-ordinate and search ops could not be undertaken due to heavy rains and poor visibility.

7.00 p.m.

 

Locals block Western Express Highway after two persons were electrocuted at Vakola, Santacruz this afternoon. Police cleared the crowd after about 15 minutes of the highway being blocked.

6.30 p.m.

 

Another request from State administration was received for helicopter assistance to rescue 15 people stranded in Buranda village, Palghar district. IAF Mi17 launched from Santacruz at around 5.30 p.m. to rescue those stranded.

6.00 pm

Situation might get critical, says Pune collector

Following very heavy rains in  Pune  on Sunday, district authorities have issued an advisory asking people to remain alert as the situation could turn critical, and ordered schools and colleges to be shut on Monday.

Low-lying areas in the district were on alert after water was released into the Mutha river on Sunday following incessant rains in the catchment areas of dams supplying water to the city.

Later in the day, district collector Naval Kishore Ram said orders had been issued to keep educational institutions here and Pimpri Chinchwad shut on Monday in view of the rains.

 

5.40 pm

IMD downgrades Mumbai's red alert forecast to 'orange'

According to it's updated forecast, IMD has downgraded it's 'red alert' for Mumbai to 'orange alert', which means Sunday is likely to see 'heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places'.

The alert stays the same for Palghar, Thane, Raigad, Nashik, Pune, Kolhapur and Satara, which are likely to see 'extremely heavy rain at isolated places' on Sunday.

Mithi river flowing full beside Mumbai airport.

Mithi river flowing full beside Mumbai airport.

 

5.20 pm

170 people including 50 patients evacuated from a hospital in Pune

As many as 170 persons, including 50 patients and 120 staff members, were successfully evacuated from Surya Hospital in Pune’s Wakad area after continuous discharge from nearby Mulshi dam led to waters reaching the hospital's basement.

The patients and staff were evacuated in a joint operation carried out by the NDRF, the disaster management cell of the Pune Municipal Corporation, and Fire department officials, and were transported to other hospitals in the city.

5.00 pm

Part of a bridge in Palghar submerges

A major portion of a bridge connecting Wada and Malwada on Pinjal river in Palghar got washed away due to heavy rains, an official said.

Palghar police spokesperson Hemant Katkar said there were no reports of casualties in the incident but traffic on the vital connector had come to a standstill.

- PTI

4.15 pm

Holiday declared for schools in Pune

With Pune being battered by incessant rain, collector Nawal Kishore Ram has declared a holiday for all schools in the district tomorrow.

4.00 pm

Thousands affected by power outage in Thane and Palghar

Thousands of people in Thane and Palghar districts of Maharashtra are affected by power outage after substations were submerged and transformers damaged due to heavy rains.

Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company public relations officer Vishwajeet Bhosale, in a statement, said power supply was stopped from Vasai substation as a precautionary measure.

“Around 1.50 lakh customers in Vasai, Girij, Sandor, Kolar, Navghar, Sativali, Sun City, Vasai West and Mavelpada have been affected by this,” the release said. He said 68,000 people in Kalyan subdivision, including in Manda, Titwala, Varap, Maral, Kon and Khadavali, were also affected due to the disconnection of electricity supply.

It informed that heavy rains had caused water to enter Shahapur switching centre, leading to power outage in that town, and had also damaged the feeder line at Dhasai and Asangaon.

“Badlapur is affected due to waterlogging. The level of Ulhas river is rising. All four feeders in Sonivali have been switched off,” Bhosale said.

- PTI

3.50 pm

IAF helicopter rescues 58 people, returns to Santacruz airfield

The IAF Mi 17 deployed to Ju-Nandkhuri village in Khadavli area of Thane district has returned to Santacruz airfield after rescuing a total of 58 persons, including 16 children, a defence official said.

The helicopter rescued people from the Ju-Nandkhuri village near Khadavli in Kalyan taluka

3.40 pm

400 people evacuated after Mithi water level crosses danger mark

At least 400 people from the Kranti Nagar residential area near the Mithi river in Mumbai were shifted after its water level crossed the danger mark following heavy rains in the city, an official from the disaster management cell said.

The residents were shifted to a civic-run school, the official said.

Meanwhile, a 23-year-old man, identified as Raja Mehboob Shaikh, was feared drowned after he fell into the Dharavi creek, a police official said. The fire brigade and police officials were making all efforts to trace him, he said.

- PTI

3.15 pm

Navy and Army rescue teams to assist in Thane district

Three rescue teams of Navy in Thane district are in touch with state administration and proceeding as required for assistance, said defence sources. Two columns of Army consisting 120 personnel are also on the way to Thane district and in touch with state administration for the rescue efforts.

2.45 pm

Train movement between Virar and Vasai resumes: Western Railway

Train movement has started on the fast corridor between Virar & Vasai as train number 90566 departed at 1.45 pm on the up fast line from Virar station, the Western Railway tweeted. The down fast line has also been cleared, and traffic on it will resume soon, the tweet added.

 

2.30 pm

Helicopter deployed by IAF to rescue 35 people in Thane

The Indian Air Force (IAF) deployed a helicopter to rescue around 35 people who were stranded at a village in Thane district of Maharashtra following heavy rains, an official said.

The people were stuck at their water-logged homes in Ju-Nandkhuri village near Khadavli in Kalyan taluka since 10 a.m., Thane’s resident Deputy Collector Shivaji Patil said.

“One Mi 17 helicopter has been launched by IAF from Santacruz (in Mumbai) on request of the state government towards rescue of 35 residents of the village,” a defence official said.

All efforts were being made to bring the stranded people to a safer place, Patil said. With the Bhatsa river in spate, several villages in and around Kalyan taluka were inundated, he said, adding that Ju-Nandkhuri village was the worst hit.

- PTI

2.00 pm

Low-lying areas in Pune on alert after dam water release

Low-lying areas in Pune district of Maharashtra were on alert after water was released into the Mutha river on Sunday following incessant rains in the catchment areas of dams supplying water to the city.

Seven members of a family stranded at a house in the water-logged Kamshet area were also rescued by a team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), an official from the agency said.

 

With more water being released from the Khadakwasla dam, water gushed into several low-lying areas in Balewadi, Baner, Aundh, Yerwada, Sinhgad Road and Bopodi.

“Efforts are being made to rescue people living in these low-lying areas,” a fire brigade official said.

- PTI

1.10 pm

Mumbai received 204 mm rainfall in 24 hours

Mumbai received 204 mm rainfall in the 24 hours leading up to 8.30 a.m. on Sunday.

India Meteorological Department has forecast heavy to very heavy rains throughout Sunday with extremely heavy rain in certain areas. The island city received 146 mm rainfall in these 24 hours while both eastern and western suburbs received 195 mm rainfall, indicating widespread rainfall activity.

A high tide alert has been issued for 2.29 p.m. at 4.83 meters, and citizens have been advised not to venture near the sea.

Heavy water-logging was reported in Sion, Andheri, Goregaon, Malad, Kurla, Ghatkopar, Chembur areas, and traffic had to be diverted from waterlogged roads.

About 400 people from Kurla's Kranti Nagar, located next to the Mithi river, were shifted to a municipal school in the area after the river breached the 3-meter mark on Sunday as well.

4 injured in landslip

Four people were injured in a landslip in Dindoshi early on Sunday morning. The incident happened at around 7.45a.m. when a portion of the adjoining hill collapsed on some shanties near it. Of the four injured, two are minors and one is a senior citizen. They have been admitted to HBT Trauma Care Hospital where their condition is reportedly stable.

12.50 pm

Incessant showers continue to pound Pune, other districts in western Maharashtra

Pune city received near-continuous rain since Saturday evening, prompting ongoing discharges of water from the over-sated Khadakwasla dam into the Mutha River.

Over 35,000 cusecs were released from the Khadakwasla into the Mutha on Sunday.

Likewise, release of water from the Pavana dam has caused waterlogging  in a number of residential areas in the city's Pimpri and Sanghvi areas.

(Reports our Pune correpondent)

12.40 pm

35 trapped in village near Khadvali

Minister Eknath Shinde said that there are floods along the Ulhas, Bhatsa and Barvi rivers in Thane district. Around 35 people are trapped in a village called Joo, near Khadvali.

As per latest reports, NDRF is reaching the village for rescue. The Minister said that he has requested air force to airlift the people who are stuck, but the helicopter is facing difficulty due to bad weather conditions.

Maharashtra Chief Minister and Chief Secretary are monitoring the situation.

12.10 pm

Power supply cut off in Vasai

Power supply to several areas of Vasai has been cut off since 6 a.m. due to flooding of electricity sub-station

As per the latest Western Railway update at 12.0 pm, train services between Vasai and Virar are being run on slow lines at cautious speed.

"Water level between Vasai and Nalasopara:- Up through - 110 mm, Dn Through-140 mm, Up local line below rail top, Dn local line- clear. Services being run on slow lines between Vasai and Virar at cautious speed. Trains running with delays," Railways said in their update on Twitter.

12.00 pm

Heavy to very heavy rain expected in next 24 hours

According to the city civic body, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast intermittent rain with heavy to very heavy showers in the city and suburbs and extremely heavy rain at isolated places in next 24 hours.

Compiled by IMD

Compiled by IMD

 

The city, its neighbouring Thane and Palghar districts and Navi Mumbai town were witnessing incessant rains since last two days and a number of incidents of tree fall were reported from there, an official said.

In the last 24 hours, the city received 100 mm rain while the suburbs, Thane and Navi Mumbai got more than 250 mm downpour, IMD’s deputy director K S Hosalikar said.

11.40 am

Godavari above danger mark, flood-like situation in Nashik

Heavy rains and release of water from Gangapur dam into the Godavari river caused a flood-like situation in some areas of Maharashtra’s Nashik district.

More than 20,000 cusecs (cubic foot per second) of water was released from the Gangapur dam on Sunday morning, which led to the Godavari river flowing above the danger mark, an official at the district collectorate said.

This also caused water-logging around some temples located on the banks of the river, he said, adding that the water reached up to the neck of the Dutondya Maruti, a statue of Lord Hanuman on the river bed, and was just a few feet below the Ram Setu bridge.

 

11.30 am

Trains cancelled as heavy rains continue

Being a Sunday, most of the office-goers were spared of hardships caused by the suspension of local train services on various routes.

Due to the accumulation of water on tracks at a few sections following heavy and continuous rains, the Central Railway’s services on the Main Line and Harbour Line between the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (in Mumbai) and Karjat, Kasaraand Khopoli were suspended since 8 am, its chief spokesman Sunil Udasi said.

“This has been done as a precautionary measure to avoid hardships to commuters later...the situation will be reviewed every hour,” he said.

However, the train services on Trans-Harbour Line and fourth corridor of Kharkopar was running normally, he said.

Due to water-logging and crashing of boulders between Karjat (located in neighbouring Raigad district) and Lonavala hill town (in Pune district) in the Western Ghats section, several Mumbai-bound trains were terminated, diverted or cancelled, an official at the CR control room said.

The rail route from Pune to Mumbai was also closed, he added.

Besides local trains, some long distance trains like Duranto, Konark Express, Amritsar Express and Devgiri Express were stuck near Igatpuri (in Nashik district), and Aatgaon and Khardi near Kalyan, another Central Railway official said.

A Mumbai airport spokesperson said two incoming flights were diverted and six had to make a go around due to the heavy rains.

In Palghar, heavy rains led to water levels rising over tracks in some sections, leading to suspension of train services between Vasai and Virar towns, a Western Railway official said.

All Mail and Express trains were stopped on the Western line due to flooding on tracks near Nalasopara, he said.

However, trains were moving on the Vasai-Churchgate and Virar-Dadar sections, he added.

A 16-year-old boy was feared drowned after he was swept away in the flood in Vikaramgadh taluka of Palghar on Saturday, a district official said, adding that a search was on to trace him.

According to Hosalikar, heavy rains will continue to lash Mumbai during the day.

“Rainfall to continue with gusty winds. High tide of 4.5 m plus today afternoon, and surcharged Mithi river....

Avoid outing as far as possible. Sea will be rough, fisherman warnings, heavy rainfall warnings in place. Watch for IMD weather updates please,” he said in a tweet.

Some residents were evacuated from areas around the Mithi river, the BMC said in a statement.

Food packets and water were provided to all at the relief camp, it added.

The Thane district administration also asked residents of villages located on the banks of Barvi and Ulhas rivers to shift to safer places as there was flooding in those areas due to release of water from the Barvi dam.

 

(With inputs from PTI)

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