Flights Cancelled, Vehicles Submerged, Trains Diverted - 12-Hour Rain Spell Cripples Mumbai

Heavy rains over a 12-hour period have caused major upheaval in Mumbai, flooding roads and railway tracks and disrupting flights and local train services. Schools and colleges have been shut, with the weatherman forecasting moderate rainfall in the city and suburbs over the next three hours, along with heavy showers in isolated areas.

Between 8:30 pm on Sunday (July 7) and 8:30 am on Monday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in Mumbai recorded more than 268 mm of rainfall at the main weather station in Santa Cruz.

Some weather stations even reported at least 300 mm of rain between 1 am and 7 am, indicating an intense downpour over a short period. Mumbai typically receives around 2,300 mm of rainfall throughout the monsoon season, which spans from June to September.

For the next three hours, the weather office predicted "moderate spells of rainfall in the city and suburbs with heavy rainfall at isolated places for the next 24 hours (till 8:30 am on July 9)."

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) reported, "Heavy rains over a 12-hour period in Mumbai disrupted local train services, flights, and Mumbai has recorded over 300 mm of rainfall at various places in six hours from 1 am to 7 am today. Heavy rains in some low-lying areas led to waterlogging and disruption of suburban train services. Heavy rain is also expected today..."

BMC also declared a holiday for the second half of the school day, stating, "Amid heavy rains in Mumbai, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation declares a holiday for the second session of schools today. A holiday was declared for the first session of schools in the morning."

Commuters had to wade through knee-deep water that partially submerged vehicles in many areas, causing significant traffic congestion on the city's Eastern and Western Express highways.

The flooding on the tracks forced railway authorities to cancel some long-distance trains. Visuals from across the city showed suburban passenger trains, which are crucial for Mumbai's daily commute, halted on flooded tracks.

More than 250 flights were delayed, and at least 30 were canceled at the city's airport, according to the flight tracking service Flightradar24. The Mumbai University also rescheduled all examinations for the Centre for Distance and Online Education (CDOE, formerly IDOL) scheduled in the first half from 11 am to 2 pm, with the new exam dates set for July 13.

Massive waterlogging was reported in Chunnabhati, Sion, Kurla, Matunga Road, Dadar, Wadala, Bhandup, Vile Parle, and King's Circle.

Large crowds gathered at railway stations in these areas as train services were delayed or suspended on the central, harbor, and western lines.

The Central Railway reported, "Due to waterlogging at various places, train services on Main line-Down & Up Fast line between CSMT-Thane is suspended. However, Down & Up slow lines are running. Harbour line services are temporarily suspended due to waterlogging at Chunnabhati."