MUMBAI: Mumbai and adjoining areas witnessed incessant heavy rains with strong winds on Wednesday, disrupting traffic, suburban train services and causing water-logging in several areas. The torrential rainfall along with gusty winds brought back memories of the deluge on in July 2005.
Colaba Observatory, which records rainfall for the island city and South Mumbai, recorded 229.6 mm from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm on Wednesday while Santacruz, which records rainfall for Mumbai and suburbs, recorded 88 mm of rainfall, according to the India Meteorological Department. Wind speed reached 70 kmph and gusted at 107 kmph between 5 pm and 5.15 pm in Colaba.
It is the highest single-day rainfall in the last twenty years in August in the area since 1999. The highest rainfall of 261 mm was recorded in August 1998. KS Hoslikar, deputy director general of meteorology department, Mumbai tweeted that, “Colaba Observatory recorded 229.6 mm rainfall in last 9 hrs. Intense rains going on.”Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray asked people to stay indoors and venture out only for essential work.
He also asked the local bodies be alert and extend all help to the stranded people. He took stock of the situation and asked BMC to coordinate with the police and railway authorities, health machinery and NDRF. Public transport in Mumbai and surrounding areas was disrupted due to water-logging on rail tracks and roads, officials said. NDRF and RPF rescued 290 passengers from two local trains stranded on flooded tracks between the CSMT and Sandhurst Road station, said a Central Railway spokesperson.
The local trains services on central, western and harbour lines were suspended due to the heavy rains. The people were asked to take shelter at nearby BMC schools.
According to the BMC, the high tide waves at 3.97 to 4.41 meters were blocking the excessive rainwater from entering the sea. That resulted in submerging many low lying areas. Six incidents of house collapse, 142 incidents of tree falling and 10 short circuit incidents were also reported.