Disaster Management Minister Girish Mahajan on Monday said 13 people have died in rain-related incidents over the past three to four days as record-breaking rainfall lashed Mumbai and neighbouring districts. The Maharashtra Legislative Council was adjourned for the day as heavy rain disrupted normal life.
The State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) advised private offices in Mumbai to allow employees to work from home wherever feasible and declared a half-day for non-essential government and semi-government offices.
The advisory followed the India Meteorological Department's (IMD) red alert for Mumbai, forecasting extremely heavy rainfall and gusty winds of 80-90 kmph across Mumbai, Thane and Raigad.
The IMD warned of flooding in low-lying areas, flash floods, waterlogging, uprooted trees, damage to weak structures and the risk of landslides, urging residents to avoid unnecessary travel and follow official advisories.
Heavy rains in Mumbai disrupted air travel on Monday, leaving several ministers and MLAs from Nagpur stranded and unable to attend the opening day of the Maharashtra Legislature's Monsoon Session.
State Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and several legislators cancelled their travel after flights were disrupted due to the severe weather.
BJP MLA Sameer Meghe said their scheduled IndiGo flight from Nagpur to Mumbai did not take off, while BJP MLA Praveen Datke said they postponed their journey to avoid the chaos caused by the rains. Congress MLA Vikas Thakre also cited uncertainty over flight schedules and the risk of getting stranded in Mumbai.
Disaster Management Minister Girish Mahajan on Monday said 13 people have died in rain-related incidents over the past three to four days as record-breaking rainfall lashed Mumbai and neighbouring Palghar and Raigad districts. Following the announcement, the Maharashtra Legislative Council was adjourned for the day in view of the heavy rain affecting Mumbai and nearby areas.
One person was killed while a search was underway for two other missing family members after their house was buried in a landslide following heavy rains in Maharashtra's Pune district on Monday, officials said.
The incident occurred at Patan village in Maval tehsil.
Three members of a family were trapped after their house was buried under debris when a landslide struck the village in the early hours, police said.
"The body of one person has been recovered from the debris, and the search is underway for the other two," an NDRF official said.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told the House that the recent incidents, including wall collapses and landslides, reflected the impact of extreme weather conditions and not a lack of preparedness.
"The entire disaster management machinery, municipal corporations and other agencies are on the ground. We are in alert mode," he said.
The State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) on Monday advised private offices in Mumbai to allow employees to work from home and announced a half-day for non-essential and semi-government offices in view of the heavy rains, officials said.
The advisory came after the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a 'red' alert for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, forecasting extremely heavy rainfall accompanied by gusty winds with speeds of 80-90 kmph in the state capital and neighbouring Thane and Raigad districts.
According to the advisory issued by the SDMA on X, private establishments have been asked to permit employees to work from home wherever feasible, while employees of government and semi-government offices, except those engaged in essential services, have been granted a half-day after noon.
Authorities also urged people to avoid unnecessary travel, remain indoors unless essential, and follow official advisories as heavy rain continued to affect normal life in Mumbai and adjoining areas.
Amid heavy rains battering Mumbai and neighbouring districts, the Bombay High Court on Monday assured that no adverse orders would be passed in matters if lawyers are unable to reach courts.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday issued a 'red' alert for Mumbai, Thane and Raigad districts, forecasting heavy to very heavy rainfall accompanied by strong winds and appealed to people to avoid unnecessary travel.
The IMD warned that intense rainfall could inundate low-lying and urban areas and trigger flash floods.
Acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge assured lawyers' associations that no adverse or dismissal orders would be passed on account of their absence on Monday due to the rains.
All other HC benches in Mumbai would also follow this assurance, the court said.
As railway tracks remained submerged amid heavy rain and severe waterlogging, Western Railway operations were severely affected on Monday.
More than 20 long-distance trains were stranded across various stations in Mumbai and south Gujarat.
Over 40 train services were affected by cancellations, diversions, and delays. Railway authorities scrambled to assist stranded passengers and worked to restore connectivity on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad trunk route.
According to Western Railway officials, train services were severely hampered by waterlogging, particularly between the Vasai Road-Virar and Saphale-Palghar sections.
Incoming services from cities such as Ahmedabad, Jodhpur, and Bhuj were halted at stations like Vapi and Surat to prevent further congestion on the flooded network.
Western Railway, supported by local NGOs, distributed food packets, water, and refreshments to stranded commuters.
Suburban services were also affected. Railway authorities have advised passengers to verify the latest status of their trains before heading to stations as restoration efforts continue.
A ship got stranded over one kilometre away from Manori beach in north Mumbai on Monday amid very heavy rains. The situation prompted local police to alert the Indian Coast Guard. Rocky areas and strong winds are preventing smaller vessels from approaching for relief operations.
The ship has dropped anchor and no untoward incident related to it has been reported.
Authorities from maritime agencies are keeping close watch on the situation.
Addressing a press conference after reviewing the flood situation at the state disaster management control room, Maharashtra CM Fadnavis warned of a possible cloudburst-like spell in Nashik on Tuesday.
The chief minister urged citizens to avoid unnecessary travel and stay off the roads, as authorities worked to manage landslides, swollen rivers, and rescue operations.
He pointed out that the state machinery has been put on high alert.
Five flights arriving at Mumbai airport were diverted to other facilities till 3:30 pm on Monday due to bad weather in the metropolis.
In a statement, the Mumbai International Airport said IndiGo flights 6E 595 (Raipur - Mumbai) and 6E 1340 (Singapore - Mumbai) were diverted to Hyderabad, while Akasa Air QP 1110 (Delhi - Mumbai) was diverted to Ahmedabad.
Air India's AI 2772 ( Kolkata - Mumbai) and Oman Air's WY 203 (Muscat - Mumbai) were diverted to Bengaluru and Vadodara airports, respectively, the private airport operator said in the statement.
Mumbai and its adjoining areas have been witnessing very heavy rains since the past few days, throwing normal life out of gear.
Senior Congress spokesperson and architect Anant Gadgil on Monday claimed that the Mumbai-Pune Expressway Missing Link project was unsafe. He demanded for an independent audit of its construction quality and the amount spent on it.
Gadgil stated that the concrete lining inside tunnels appears to have developed defects amid heavy rains in the region.
He alleged poor-quality or faulty tunnel lining could fail during the monsoon due to increased water seepage from surrounding hills.
"Unlike in Europe, where newly built tunnels undergo testing and rectification for 10-12 months before being opened to traffic, the Maharashtra government had inaugurated the Missing Link project in haste without completing an adequate safety assessment," he said.
Maharashtra Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal on Monday claimed that the rain-related deaths reported in the Mumbai region are not a natural calamity but were a consequence of administrative failure and a man-made disaster.
Sapkal called Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis a 'disaster man' rather than an 'infra man'. He also accused the BJP-led Mahayuti government for being unprepared for the monsoon.
He further criticised the Rs 7,181-crore "Missing Link" project, alleging that the project was marred by corruption and structural deficiencies.
Earlier in the day, the Pune-Mumbai Expressway had been closed between the Connecting Link and Missing Link sections after a concrete pillar fell on the carriageway amid heavy rains.
Authorities in Nashik said all preparations are being taken in view of likely cloudburst-like heavy rains in the district on Tuesday.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued the possibility of cloudburst-like very heavy rains in Trimbakeshwar, Igatpuri and western areas of Nashik taluka on July 7
District officials said instructions have been issued to shut all schools and colleges as well as heavily patronised temples, including the Lord Trimbakeshwar temple at Trimbakeshwar and Goddess Saptashringi temple at Vani, and weekly markets in Trimbakeshwar, Igatpuri, Nashik rural, Peth, Dindori and Surgana talukas.
Due to the intense low pressure area in Arabian Sea, there is a strong possibility of cloudburst-like rain in Trimbakeshwar, Igatpuri and western parts of Nashik taluka tomorrow.
There is possibility of around 300 mm of rainfall in Trimbakeshwar and surrounding areas.
At least 13 people have died in rain-related incidents across Maharashtra, including a house collapse in Mankhurd, tree falls in Mumbai and a landslide in Patan. Large parts of Mumbai's suburbs, including Vasai, Virar and Nalasopara, remain waterlogged, disrupting road and rail traffic.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has appealed to people to stay indoors unless necessary and urged private firms to allow employees to work from home. A red alert remains in force for Mumbai, Thane, Raigad and Palghar, while several local train services have been suspended due to flooding.
All government, private and civic-run schools and colleges in Mumbai will remain closed on Tuesday in view of the India Meteorological Department's 'orange' alert for heavy rain and gusty winds in the metropolis, officials said.
In a release issued on Monday night, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said holiday for educational institutions has been declared as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of students in view of the IMD's forecast.
The BMC urged citizens to venture outdoors only if necessary and advised them to contact its helpline 1916 in case of any emergency.
It also urged people to strictly follow advisories issued by the administration.