Mumbai Schools Shut Amid Heavy Rains, Trains Cancelled; Gujarat Districts Flooded | Updates

The Maharashtra government on Wednesday declared a holiday for all schools in Mumbai and the Konkan region in view of the yellow alert issued due to heavy rains, while heavy rains hit parts of Gujarat’s Saurashtra regions, causing flooding in low-lying areas and cutting off several villages.

Here are the top updates you need to know about heavy rains in Maharashtra and Gujarat

Mumbai

• The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued orange alert for Thursday for Thane, Palghar, Raigad and Ratnagiri. A yellow alert has also been issued for Mumbai. Intermittent moderate to intense spells of rain are expected to continue over parts of Mumbai, Thane, Raigad, and Palghar during the next 3-4 hours. Currently, intense spells of rain are very likely over parts of the north-eastern suburbs, Thane, and Raigad. Occasional gusty winds are also very likely.
• Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde declared a holiday for all schools in Mumbai, Thane, Raigad, and Palghar districts amid a heavy rainfall warning in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). Children are also advised to stay indoors and not venture out to get drenched in rain or take selfies.
• Shinde also visited the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) control room to assess the situation in Mumbai.

• Maharashtra Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar has appealed to people to stay away from beaches and nallahs.
• Due to heavy rains impacting local train services and road traffic, Maharashtra Chief Minister Shinde ordered early closure of government offices in Mumbai and neighboring regions
• A five-year-old girl was killed after the slab of the third floor of a ground-plus-five-storey building collapsed in suburban Bhandup in the wee hours, a civic official said.
• A four-month-old infant slipped from a man’s arm into a flooded drain near Thakurli town during heavy rains. The incident occurred when an Ambernath-bound suburban train had stopped between Thakurli and Kalyan stations due to flooded tracks. A young woman and her brother-in-law attempted to walk over narrow pipes on the drain, but the child slipped and fell into the swollen water below. The mother screamed in horror, and videos of the incident went viral. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde expressed his condolences for the unfortunate incident.
• Anid an orange alert, which predicted heavy to very heavy showers at some places, Mumbai experienced moderate to heavy rainfall till Wednesday evening. According to BMC’s monsoon updates, the Colaba observatory recorded 98.4 mm of rainfall, while the Santacruz observatory recorded 52.8 mm. Between 8 am and 6 pm, the island city, eastern suburbs, and western suburbs received average rainfall of 58.46 mm, 48.80 mm, and 50.63 mm, respectively. Among specific areas, Reay Road in Mumbai recorded the highest rainfall at 92.73 mm, followed by 89.67 mm in suburban Kandivali and 84.84 mm in Dahisar.
• Central Railway’s suburban train services was restored after hours of disruption on Kalyan-Badlapur stretch and the Kalyan-Kasara route was back in three hours. While some trains were diverted via alternative routes, others were short-terminated or canceled between Mumbai and Pune. Commuters faced inconvenience, leading some walked on rail lines to reach stations. Morning issue on Panvel-Belapur Harbour Line was later resolved.

Gujarat

• Junagadh district faced severe impact from heavy rains on Wednesday, with Mangrol taluka receiving 290 mm of rainfall in eight hours since 6 am. Malia Hatina taluka followed with 191 mm of recorded rainfall. During the same period, Keshod and Manavadar in Junagadh recorded 111 mm and 110 mm of rainfall, respectively.
• The situation worsened as dams and monsoon rivers like Ojas overflowed due to water release, causing flooding in villages and turning fields into lakes. Many areas experienced sudden flooding, compelling people to seek refuge on rooftops.

• Junagadh city and Keshod town were hit hard, disrupting normal life as roads were inundated, and vehicles submerged in low-lying areas.
• The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and local police actively participated in rescuing affected individuals and relocating them to safer areas.
• The NDRF team rescued over 100 people from flooded villages in Veraval taluka, Gir Somnath, one of the worst-affected districts. At least 14 villages in Junagadh district reported flooded approach roads. State transport bus services in the Saurashtra region were halted due to the flood-like situation.
• Sutrapada taluka in Gir Somnath witnessed many villages turning into islands, with water entering homes and damaging grains and household items. Rivers like Saraswati and Hiran overflowed, causing flooding in low-lying areas.
• Surtarapada, Veraval, and Talaja talukas received heavy rainfall of 541, 481, and 299 mm, respectively, in 24 hours until 6 am on Wednesday, according to SEOC. Additionally, Valsad and Surat districts in south Gujarat were also affected, with several residential societies in Vapi town experiencing floods.

(With inputs from PTI)