Most of the Mumbai region woke up to heavy rainfall on Sunday morning, which continued through the day, causing waterlogging at several places and submerging rail tracks on some routes. There were delays in suburban trains, and over 70 bus routes had to be diverted.
Of the 26 weather stations in Mumbai and its suburbs, 14 recorded more than 100 mm rainfall since Saturday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) here said, adding the city’s Chembur area received the highest 184.2 mm rainfall followed by Goregaon (162.2 mm).
Mumbai Traffic Police closed a road over-bridge in Ghatkopar area for vehicular traffic as a precautionary measure after a crack was spotted in one of its pillars. Since long-distance and local trains pass under the Ghatkopar bridge, the decision to close it was taken to avoid an incident like the bridge collapse in Andheri last week, an official of the Central Railway said.
No breaks
The suburbs reported incessant rainfall through the night and morning, but post-noon, the island city received more rain. In the 24 hours ending 8.30 am on Sunday, the IMD’s Santacruz observatory recorded 131.1mm rainfall and the Colaba observatory recorded 33mm. As of 8.30 p.m, Colaba recorded 140.4 mm and Santacruz 66 mm. IMD has forecast similar weather conditions until Wednesday.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation received complaints of waterlogging at several places, including Parel, Sion, Kurla, Khar, and Bandra. 18 pump sets were operated in six major pumping stations, apart from 111 dewatering pumps used locally.
The BMC’s Disaster management cell received 20 complaints of trees or branches collapsing until Sunday morning. A portion of a three-storey building’s balcony collapsed in Kurla, but no injury was reported. The city reported a total of 12 other incidents of slabs collapsing due to the rain.
The low-lying areas of Parel, Dharavi, Matunga and King’s Circle in Mumbai and towns in the neighbouring Thane district, including Diva, Dombivali, Kalyan and Ambernath, were flooded due to the rain.
Unusually, parts of south Mumbai, including Hutatma Smarak, Churchgate, Cuffe Parade, experienced waterlogging, with the BMC blaming ongoing Mumbai Metro excavation. The civic body had pointed out irregularities to Metro III contractor on June 29, but until Sunday, there was no compliance leading to waterlogging.
Over 100 picnickers were stranded at the Chinchoti waterfall, near the Tungareshwar hill range at Vasai, Palghar district. The local police, fire brigade, disaster management cell and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel swung into action and rescued 97 people. The dense forest and hilly terrain made some areas inaccessible, so the IAF was also called in as well; the crew of an IAF helicopter spotted five stranded people, an official of the state disaster management cell said. All five were rescued and flown to the Mumbai airport.
The IMD has forecast similar weather conditions until Wednesday. “The cloud mass is the most towards northern side of Mumbai. Northwest winds over coast are giving rainfall over Mumbai,” a senior IMD official said. Monday’s forecast is “Heavy rainfall at isolated places in Greater Mumbai, Thane and Palghar.”
With 1240.8mm rainfall, Mumbai has already received 49.34% of the season’s average. The figure stood at 28.6% this time last year.
With PTI inputs
