Mumbai Rains: Maximum City Brought To Standstill; Schools Shut, Train Services Hit

Heavy rain across Mumbai has caused massive waterlogging, leading to long traffic jams and disrupting local train services between Khadavli and Titwala in the Kalyan-Kasara section.

The downpours began over the weekend and are expected to continue throughout the week.

Photo Credit: X/@priteshshah_

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), moderate to heavy rainfall is expected to persist in Mumbai throughout Monday, July 8, with possible thunderstorms at night.

On Sunday, local train services were suspended between Kasara and Titwala stations after a tree fell on the tracks due to thunderstorms and rain, reported Hindustan Times. Additional disruptions occurred when soil covered tracks between Atgaon and Thansit stations, and a tree blocked Vashind station. These routes are anticipated to resume service on Monday.

Central Railway suburban services have been particularly affected, with waterlogging on stations and tracks.

A Central Railway Public Relations Officer (CRPO) statement said, "Train services are affected at Sion and between Bhandup and Nahur stations. Rainwater was above the tracks, so trains were stopped for nearly one hour. Now, water has receded a bit, so trains are restarting, but services are still affected."

Local weather officials reported heavy rain continuing in Mumbai's Dindoshi early Monday, leading to waterlogging in many areas. Mumbai recorded 300 mm of rainfall in six hours from 1 am to 7 am on Monday, causing major waterlogging and disruptions in low-lying areas.

The IMD has also predicted further heavy rain in Maharashtra over the next 3 to 4 days, with downpours likely to hit Madhya Maharashtra and the Marathwada region from July 8 to July 10, 2024.

Netizens in Mumbai shared visuals of waterlogged streets and dark thunderstorms in North and South Mumbai.

One user on X wrote, "50mm rain in 1 hour + unusual thunder lightning in South Mumbai. Waterlogging is imminent in low lying areas, luckily it happened post midnight."

X users also noted the unusual occurrence of lightning and thunderstorms in Mumbai during the peak monsoon season, especially in July.

Thane has been one of the worst-hit areas, experiencing continuous heavy rain since Saturday.

Houses and bridges in the Shahpur area have been submerged due to the downpour, prompting the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to conduct rescue operations to help those trapped in flooded localities.