Mumbai On Red Alert Today As Rain Wreaks Havoc, Police Request People To 'Stay Indoors'

The Mumbai Police on Thursday advised residents through a social media post to stay indoors until 8:30 am Friday following a red alert issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

“IMD has declared a Red alert for Mumbai till tomorrow morning 8.30am. Requesting all Mumbaikars to stay indoors, until essential. Please stay safe. #Dial100 #Dial112 in case of any emergencies,” Mumbai Police wrote in a social media post on ‘X’.

On Thursday, the weather department issued a red alert for Mumbai, Thane, and Raigad, predicting heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in isolated areas till Friday morning.

BMC Declares Holiday For Schools, Colleges

In response to IMD’s alert, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) declared a holiday for all schools and colleges in the city.

“All schools and colleges in Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation have been declared a holiday today (25 July 2024) in view of the Red Alert issued by the India Meteorological Department today,” the civic body shared on ‘X’.

According to officials, several areas of Mumbai received over 100 mm of rainfall between 4 am and 1 pm on Thursday. Malpa Dongri in Andheri recorded the highest rainfall with 157 mm, followed by Paspoli in Powai with 155 mm, and Dindoshi with 154 mm.

Runway Operations Halted; 11 Flights Cancelled, 10 Diverted

Runway operations at Mumbai airport were halted twice on Thursday due to visibility dropping to 300 meters. Airlines advised passengers to arrive early, anticipating traffic congestion and water-logging in parts of the city. The first suspension was from 08:32 hrs to 08:43 hrs, lasting 11 minutes, followed by a second suspension from 10:36 hrs to 10:55 hrs, lasting 19 minutes.

While, as many as 11 flights were cancelled, and ten were diverted to nearby airports as heavy rains continued to batter Mumbai. IndiGo cancelled a total of ten services, including five arrivals, while Air India cancelled one departure from Mumbai.

Four Dead In Rain-Related incident In Pune

At least four people died in rain-related incidents on Thursday as heavy rains wreaked havoc in Pune. Three men died of electrocution in the Deccan area while attempting to move their handcart, used for selling egg dishes, which had become submerged due to the downpour. Additionally, one person died and another was injured in a landslide in the Tahmini ghat section of Mulshi tehsil, according to district officials.

In Pune city, several houses and residential societies in low-lying areas like Sinhagad Road, Bavdhan, Baner, and Deccan Gymkhana were inundated. The fire brigade and disaster management cell of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) have launched efforts to evacuate stranded residents, officials added.

Pune’s Shivajinagar Receives 3rd Highest Rainfall In 66 Years

Shivajinagar in Pune city received 114 mm of rainfall in a 24-hour period ending at 8:30 am on Thursday, marking the third-highest single-day rainfall in 66 years, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Officials cited data from the Shivajinagar weather station, stating that the highest 24-hour rainfall recorded in July was 130.4 mm on July 19, 1958, followed by 117.9 mm on July 27, 1967.

15 Rain-Related Deaths Across Maharashtra In Past 24 Hours

At least 15 people were killed in rain-related incidents across Maharashtra as heavy rains wreaked havoc in Pune, Mumbai, Thane, Raigad, and nearby regions over the past 24 hours, officials told news agency IANS on Thursday.

In Pune city, three people died from electrocution, while three others are feared dead in lavish villas following a hillslide in Lavasa city, Mulshi. Another person was killed in a landslide in Maval, Pune district; and a man drowned in Raigad. In Mumbai, a man lost his life in a fire caused by a short-circuit. Additionally, a man died in a landslide, three were killed by lightning strikes in Chandrapur, and two drowned in Barvi dam, Thane.

Class 10, 12 Supplementary Exams Postponed In State

The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education has postponed the Class 10 and 12 supplementary board examinations amid heavy rainfall in the state.

The supplementary exam for Class 10, originally scheduled for July 26, will now be held on July 31. Similarly, the Class 12 supplementary exams, initially set for July 31, have been rescheduled to August 9.

A School Education department official stated that the Class 10 Science and Technology Part 2 exam, originally slated for July 26 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., will now take place on July 31. For Class 12, the supplementary exams for Commerce and Organisational Management, Food Science and Technology, and Minimum Competency Vocational Courses Part 2, previously set for July 31, will now be held on August 9.

(With inputs from agencies)