Mumbai, Maha continue to soak for fifth day, more rains forecast

Mumbai, July 22 (IANS) Mumbai and several districts in Maharashtra continued to be lashed by rains for the fifth-consecutive day with more heavy rains forecast for the country’s commercial capital, officials said here on Monday. 

The IMD has predicted bouts of severe rain as the state administration, police and disaster management agencies maintained high alert, prompting the districts of Raigad, Chandrapur and Kolhapur, plus Nagpur city, to shut schools for the day.

Nagpur and surroundings have been pounded by incessant rains for the last four days, leading to waterlogging, flooding in many low-lying areas of the city, with the water entering homes, shops, establishments on the ground floor.

The coastal districts of Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg and Palghar have also witnessed heavy downpour for over six days, with many local rivers like Vashishti, Jagbudi, Shastri, Kodavali and others flowing above the danger levels.

The Mumbai-Goa Highway traffic was disrupted on Sunday following a landslide, and on Monday one-way vehicular movement was allowed as the authorities cleared and started repairs to the affected area of mud, stones, boulders, tree-trunks, etc.

The NDRF said that it has deployed teams in Palghar (Vasai town), Thane, Raigad (Mahad town), Ratnagiri (Khed and Chiplun towns), Mumbai (Ghatkopar, Powai and Kurla), Sindhudurg (Kudal town), plus Sangli, Kolhapur and Satara to respond and handle any eventuality.

This morning, the IMD has forecast heavy to very heavy rains in Mumbai, with extremely heavy rainfall in some places, which partially affected the city’s lifeline, suburban rail network with trains running several minutes late.

With road traffic also affected in certain areas, lakhs of commuters were harried while rushing to their workplaces on the first day of the week.

Mumbai will witness two high-tides – 12.50 pm (4.59 m. waves) and 00.25 am (4.07 m. waves on Tuesday morning), and monstrous waves were noticed at different points in the city like Gateway of India, Girgaum Chowpatty, Dadar Chowpatty, Juhu Chowpatty, Versova, Marve, Gorai, etc.

According to the BMC, in the past 12 hours (till 8 A.M. on Monday), Mumbai recorded rains 135 mm (city), 154 mm (eastern suburbs) and 137 mm (western suburbs) while the water level in the Mithi River is around 1.50 m high.