Mumbai on orange alert as heavy rain shuts schools, disrupts trains and floods roads

Mumbai woke up to overcast skies and strong winds on Tuesday (July 7) as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for heavy rain and gusty winds. With torrential rainfall already disrupting rail services and triggering landslides in the Mumbai-Pune Ghat section, authorities ordered all government, private and civic-run schools and colleges in the city to remain closed as a precaution.

The IMD warning, also issued for Kolhapur, Satara, Sindhudurg and Ratnagiri, urges residents in the affected districts to take necessary precautions as monsoon fury continues to batter Maharashtra.

Also read | Monsoon fury: Landslides, floods cripple Maharashtra; 13 dead in 4 days; Mumbai on red alert

The orange alert issued by the IMD indicates that people should be prepared for extremely bad weather that can cause significant disruptions, transport delays, and power outages, an official said. It is at the third level in a four-stage colour system, placed above yellow and below red.

Rain wreaks widespread havoc

Relentless rain has brought Mumbai and neighbouring districts to a near standstill. Many roads were submerged, trees uprooted, and several incidents of wall and billboard collapses were reported.

Severe waterlogging disrupted normal life in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region's Nala Sopara on Tuesday after heavy overnight rainfall inundated several roads and low-lying areas. Commuters and residents faced major inconvenience as waterlogged streets slowed vehicular movement and affected daily activities. Visuals from the area showed roads submerged under several inches of water, with civic authorities monitoring the situation amid forecasts of more rain across the region.

Nashik too remains on high alert as heavy rainfall continues to batter the district, prompting authorities to shut schools and suspend darshan at the Trimbakeshwar Temple as a precautionary measure. Visuals from the temple premises showed heavy rain lashing the area, with authorities closely monitoring the situation amid concerns over public safety.

Multiple MEMU trains cancelled

The Mumbai Central Division of Western Railway on Tuesday issued a passenger advisory announcing the cancellation of several MEMU services due to waterlogging caused by heavy rainfall.

The affected trains include 69164 Dahanu Road–Panvel, 69168 Vasai Road–Panvel, 69167 Panvel–Vasai Road, 69161 Panvel–Dahanu Road, 69174 Dahanu Road–Borivali, 69139 Borivali–Valsad and 61002 Dahanu Road–Borivali. Train No. 69141 Virar–Surat will short-originate from Valsad and operate only up to Surat.

Western Railway has urged passengers to plan their journeys accordingly, check the latest train status before travelling, and expressed regret for the inconvenience caused.

Expressway reopens after landslide

Meanwhile, traffic on the Mumbai-bound carriageway of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway's 'Missing Link' bypass section resumed on Monday night after remaining shut for more than 18 hours following a landslide triggered by overnight heavy rains, officials said.

A senior official of the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) told PTI that traffic resumed at 10.10 pm after safety inspections were completed at the landslide-hit site.

The Mumbai-bound carriageway had been closed after a landslide near the exit of Tunnel 2, the longest tunnel on the Missing Link – that cuts through the Sahyadri mountains -- at around 4 am on Monday.

Four persons, including three members of a family, were killed in a landslide and wall collapse, while two others were swept away in separate rain-related incidents as heavy showers battered Pune district on Monday, prompting authorities to rescue or shift more than 500 people to safer places.

Heavy rainfall triggered multiple landslides across the district, including one in Patan village in Maval tehsil that claimed the lives of three members of a family, officials said.

600 mm rain cripples railways

A whopping 600 mm of rainfall in just 24 hours triggered multiple landslides in the Karjat-Lonavala Ghat section on the Mumbai-Pune line, severely disrupting rail traffic over the last two days, officials said.

Also read | Monsoon surges back with July rain, IMD issues red and orange alerts across states

Lonavala, a popular hill station located in Pune district, recorded 670 mm of rainfall in the 24 hours ending at 7 am on Monday, as per official data. Pune district witnessed landslides at 22 places over the last two days, according to officials.

The ghat section had also received around 300 mm of rainfall on Sunday, Central Railway's Chief Public Relations Officer Swapnil Nila said on Monday. "About 160 mm of rain fell in the first four hours on Sunday, leading to landslides at multiple vulnerable locations. The first landslide occurred near Thakurwadi, impacting all three lines in Bhor Ghat, followed by another between Monkey Hill and Khandala," he pointed out.

"Tracks have suffered extensive damage at some locations but prompt restoration work has been undertaken despite incessant rain in the ghat section," Nila said.

(With agency inputs)