Mumbai was hit by heavy rains on the third day writing in a row on Monday with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) giving a red alert to the city, more intense than the orange one that had been previously given. Heavy pre-dawn showers caused waterlogging and traffic jams in Andheri and Ghatkopar, Navi Mumbai and some areas of South Mumbai and local trains were operating with slight delays as well, with many tracks flooded.
The IMD has already forecasted the impending harder rainfall in the following a number of hours, elevating the affects of urban flooding in the low people regions. Police have asked people to be careful along the beach when there is high tide at places such as Marine Drive, Juhu and Worli Sea Face.
The seven lakes in Mumbai are 90 percent full throughout the year despite uneven distribution of rainfall in catchment areas thus water supply is guaranteed to the city. There is also the red alert of extremely heavy showers in Pune. The Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis had a virtual meeting with the officers to take stock of the prevailing situation at Mumbai where rain continues to pound the state.
In some low lies such as the Andheri Subway, Lokhandwala Complex water was found to have settled in various spots delaying the flow of traffic.
Local trains which are basically referred to as the lifeline of the metropolis were delayed between 8 to 10 mins and services not suspended, confirmed the officials.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stated that 6-8 hours of wind on Monday saw Mumbai being subjected to 177 millimetres of rain and citizens should follow all precautions as more awaits them throughout the day and during high tide levels.
There are instructions to the offices to give workers permission to leave at 4pm. At about 6.30 pm, one may expect 3m to 4m tides. An appropriate step will be taken to determine whether the schools will be closed tomorrow (Tuesday). People are not to go out without a cause, he said.
CM said that crops that have been affected by 4 lakh hectares spread in the rest of the states and district collectors have been delegated to make decisions on relief and rescue activities.
Negotiations are underway also with Karnataka to release the Allmatti dam water of that state, Fadnavis said.
Cyclonic rainfalls have stranded more than 200 villagers in the Nanded district of the state, five people have gone missing in Mukhed taluka of Nanded district, about 600 km away, he said.
Suburban facilities on the route of central railway were affected where water was collecting on tracks in some low lying parts in Harbour Line as well as the change of tracks, was failing between Kurla and Tilak Nagar stations as per the officials.
According to the motorists, the blinding rain in certain portions of the city has impaired visibility and has delayed vehicular motion.
Generally, no diversion of any bus services routes of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking was reported by the officials.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) put Mumbai, and surrounding Thane and Raigad districts, on red alert, predicting heavy to very heavy rainfall in a couple places and extremely heavy rainfall in isolated places on Monday and Tuesday.
It has also placed a red alert over Ratnagiri district on Monday, an orange alert over Sindhusdurg on Monday and Tuesday.
BMC Commissioner, Bhushan Gagrani declared that all educational institutions will be closed on the afternoon session owing to the safety of the students because Household had been raining since the morning.
In the statement issued by the civic body, it asked the people to leave their homes only when the situation is critical.
It also called on citizens to communicate with its disaster control number 1916 should they be under pressure or seeking official information.
Rains have been battering Mumbai since Saturday.
The intensity of rain further rose after a heavy downpour last night on Monday that continued after 9 am on Monday, a civic official said.
In only one hour, at 9 am, the island city, eastern and western suburbs had received an average 37 mm, 39 mm and 29 mm, respectively of rain.
Chembur in the east suburbs with 65 mm, and 50 mm in Shivaji Nagar in the one-hour time frame said the official.
Average rainfall of 54.58 mm in the island city in 24 hours ending at 8 a.m. Monday was recorded, 72.61 mm in the eastern suburbs and 65.86 mm rain in western suburbs, officials said.
Some of these locations received over 100 mm rainfall in the review period, they added.
Massive rains turn to war zone mayhem in Nanded Army summoned to save more than 200 stranded
Over 200 villagers were cut off in various villages of the Nanded district of Maharashtra in heavy rain which led authorities to call the Indian Army to handle the rescue and relief operations.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued Yellow alert in Nanded district predicting heavy rain in the court of Monday and Tuesday.
Speaking to PTI, Nanded collector Rahul Kardile asserted that the district administration has roped in a unit Indian Army to rescue people stuck in the floods.
A team of 15 persons, consisting of the Army would be utilised in Mukhed region of Nanded. There is also the discharging of water through dams.
I have also got the irrigation department secretary of neighbouring Telangana state to call them and ask them to release water through Pochampad Dam in their territory in case of necessity I said.
Twenty-one people stuck in Ravangaon village and Hasnal village of Mukhed taluka during heavy rain on Sunday were rescued by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), a collector said.
According to him over 200 individuals at Ravangaon, Hasnal, Bhaswadi and Bhigeli villages in the taluka are stranded and people are trying to rescue them.
We can also rope in rescue team operating in Latur, in case of necessity.
There is release of water in dams, and we might want teams in Hadgaon, Himayatnagar and Kinwat.
He has warned the villages along. the banks of the Godavari basin that an alert is issued.
Fadnavis took a joint review at the State Disaster Management Cell in the Mantralaya and asked all the departments and authorities to be on high alert as per the red alert given by the India Meteorological Department, which predicts extremely heavy rainfall in various regions within the state in the period between August 17 and 21.
The statement said that divisional commissioners informed the meeting on rainfall and damages that occurred in the respective regions that they govern.
A number of rivers flowing in the Konkan region have breached the danger points and Jalgaon has been witnessing massive damages. Negotiations with Karnataka were underway in releasing Allmatti dam water in that state, it was indicated.
In Nanded the situation has been controlled in Mukhed taluka of nanded district and in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division, approximately 800 villages were affected.
The police has been put on high alert at tourist sites and to put in place the disaster response mechanisms in the landslide prone areas: and also only proper food, water and bedding should be in the relief shelters.
In the meantime, Mumbai suburban district guardian minister Ashish Shelar told that he had visited the situation in the metropolis in the disaster management cell of the BMC and had made an inventory of the rainfall, flooding, school condition and also with regard to the public transport.
Local train services were operational with some delays, as BEST has been asked to run extra bus services in case people are stranded at big (railway) stations like Dadar and Mumbai Central.
TOP civil and police officials are on the ground, minister and senior BJP leader said.
There are 30-40 places in the city where trees and branches have fallen and guidance has been provided to clear the way of such obstructions and regain speed of the vehicular traffic, Shelar informed.
According to him, at Napean Sea Road in south Mumbai, one person was injured when a protection wall collapsed on a tree as it was being struck by the heavy rains.
Pumping stations are operating at best capacity of the city and authorities are checking the rate at which the receding of water is taking place by the use of the pumps, he added.
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