Mumbai flooded after heavy rains; road, rail, air traffic hit

Mangalore Today News Network

Mumbai, Aug 29 2017, DH News: The road, rail and air traffic of India’s commercial capital, Mumbai, was affected badly on Tuesday as the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and elsewhere in Maharashtra continue to receive heavy rainfall.

The weathermen had forecast rains for Wednesday.

Parts of the MMR received more than 100 mm rainfall on an average in the last 24 hours ended 1200 hours.

The heavy downpour reminded over the 26 July, 2005 deluge in Mumbai – as people were seen stranded in Mumbai.

“Similar weather conditions would prevail for next 24 hours,” said KS Hosalikar, the deputy director general of IMD based at the Regional Meteorological Centre in Mumbai.

The Western Railway (WR) services were affected following a technical snag at Bandra while the Central Railway (CR) services were affected – mainly on the Kasara-Kalyan section – because of derailment of the Mumbai-bound Duronto Express near the Asangaon station.

Heavy traffic jams were reported from the Eastern Express Highway, Western Express Highway and the Ghodbunder Road, three big arterial roads of the MMR.

There has been delays of 15 to 12 minutes for flights coming and going out of Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai. There has been five go-arounds and two diversions, according to officials of Mumbai International Airport Ltd.

Water-logging and traffic snarls was reported from areas like Andheri, Jogeshwari, Sion, Chunabhatti, Parel, Worli, Lower Parel, Prabhadevi and other places.

Fishermen of the Konkan-Goa coast had been asked not to venture into the Arabian Sea for next 24 hours and had issued port warning.

Celebrities took to Twitter to post updates and asked people to be safe.

“Typhoon-like weather.Cancelling my flight to Delhi for an Indo Australian meeting.Telling my Aussie friends I’m ’Down Under’ water in Mumbai,” Anand Mahindra, the executive chairman of Mahindra Group tweeted.

“While I do this,alerts showing up on my phone about the rains in Mumbai.Please stay safe and take care everyone,” actress Deepika Padukone said. “Brace yourself Mumbai. Heavy rain coming. Plan ahead. Stay safe,” actress-model Gul Panag tweeted.

The BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation once again came under fire of the commoners.

“It has rained more than 52 mm in the past 1 hour in Mumbai. More rainfall expected in the next 24 hours, cloud build up is heavy. All pumps and pumping stations are in operation. It isn’t a panic situation but only step outside your house is absolutely necessary,” Yuva Sena president Aditya Thackeray tweeted.