Incessant rains throws life out of gear in Mumbai, more predicted

Mumbai, July 3 (UNI) Incessant rains continued to lash Mumbai for the third consecutive day throwing life out of gear and badly affecting rail and vehicular traffic in the metropolis.

Reports of water logging, wall collapse, trees uprooting and short circuits were received from various parts of the city.

The authorities were forced to divert traffic through alternate roads leading to major traffic bottlenecks all over the city.

However, traffic has been restored except in few places where water clogged upto 1-1.5 feet in the suburbs.

More than 500 Home Guards and 100 life saving guards have been deployed at various parts in the city to take care of any eventuality arising out of the rains.

Brihanmumbai Municipal Commissioner Johny Joseph said a high alert has been sounded and all the deputy commisssioners, additional commissioners are monitoring the situation in their respective areas.

The continous heavy downpour witnessed moderate attendance in the offices and those who came to work also left early fearing the July 26 deluge of last year.

The water logging was removed with the help of pumps. The Municipal Corporation has installed 85 pumps to clear the water from the low lying areas.

Two people drowned off Kashimira in adjoining Thane district, while another sustained injuries in a wall collapse incident in the city.

Mr Joseph told mediapersons that there were three cases of wall collapse which were registered with the fire brigade in which one person sustained minor injury.

The harbour line on the Central Railway had to suspend operations for an hour this afternoon, while the Central main line and the Western line locals were running 25-30 minutes behind schedule.

State Relief and Rehabilitation Secretary K S Vatsav said heavy rains are expected in the next 48 hours in the city suburbs.

The weather Bureau has predicted heavy rainfall in Konkan, madhya Maharashtra, east Vidharbha and isolated places in Marathwada and West Vidharbha.

A part of MADA building collapsed at the V P road in the C P Cant area at Girgaon. However, no casualty was reported. Traffic has been restored except in few places where water clogged upto 1-1.5 feet in the suburbs. Local trains on the western Central and the Harbour were running late.

Elsewhere in the state, two deaths were reported from the Raigad district.

Highest rainfall in the last 24 hrs (342.70 mm) was received in Mahabaleshwar hill station in the Satara district.

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