Heavy rainfall warning in Mumbai: NDRF to depute 12 teams in five coastal districts

Thane, June 09: In view of the IMD''s warning about heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in the Konkan region of Maharashtra between June 11 and 15, the state government on Wednesday requested the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to send 12 teams to five coastal districts.

The State Disaster Management Authority of the state government requested the Commandant of the NDRF to depute the teams in Thane, Raigad, Palghar, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts by June 10 afternoon.

The authority sought four NDRF teams in Ratnagiri district and two teams each in other districts, the official communication to the NDRF, which was shared to media by Palghar district collector Manik Gursal, said.

"Collectors of these districts are requested to make all logistical arrangements for the NDRF teams in consonance with the regulations of social distancing and sanitation as issued by the central and the state government," the request letter issued by K Suryakrishnamurty, Under Secretary of the Disaster Management Unit of the state government said.

Heavy rains lashed Mumbai and its suburbs on Wednesday, causing flooding on roads and rail tracks and disrupting suburban train services as the south-west monsoon arrived in the city with a bang, while the MeT department issued an alert for more downpour.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a 'red alert' for Mumbai, and neighbouring Thane, Palghar and Raigad districts, warning of very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places there.

The first rains of this year's monsoon season in Mumbai caused water-logging in various parts of the city, prompting the traffic police to shut four subways and forcing motorists to abandon their vehicles on roads.

The heavy downpour also disrupted local train services, which are running only for personnel engaged in health and other essential services, and are out of bound for general commuters in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.