Mumbai, Pune lashed by heavy rain; airlines issue advisory, trains delayed, alert in several Maharashtra districts

Mumbai Rains (file photo)

Several parts of Maharashtra, including Mumbai and Pune, were lashed by heavy rains along with strong winds, thunderstorms, and lightning on Tuesday evening. While the showers brought much-needed relief from the scorching summer heat, they also caused major disruptions across cities.

Alert in several districts

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued yellow and orange alerts across various districts, warning that similar weather conditions are expected to continue for the next four days starting Wednesday.

An orange alert has been issued for Pune, Ratnagiri, Kolhapur, Solapur and a few other districts. A yellow alert has been issued for Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, Nashik, Satara, Jalna and others.

In Mumbai, areas like Powai saw severe waterlogging that brought traffic to a standstill. A tree fell near Jalvayu Complex, though no injuries were reported. The Andheri subway was completely flooded, after which the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) sent a team with drainage equipment to pump out the water, according to a report by NDTV.

On the other hand, Pune also experienced similar issues, including water leakage at the city’s airport. The residents said the overflow of dirty drains led to water flowing into the streets, adding to the mess.

Flight and train services disrupted

SpiceJet posted a notice on X, informing passengers that bad weather in Pune could affect arrivals and departures. "Due to bad weather in Pune (PNQ), all departures/arrivals and their consequential flights may get affected. Passengers are requested to keep a check on their flight status,” SpiceJet said.

In Thane district’s Mira-Bhayandar area, heavy rains began around 7.30 pm with thunder and lightning. Strong lightning strikes were reported near Maheshwari Bhavan in Bhayander West.

Train services on the Konkan Railway route were halted due to a landslide between Vervali and Vilavade stations in Ratnagiri district. A large boulder fell on the tracks around 6.30 pm amid heavy rainfall, temporarily stopping services between Mumbai, Goa, and Karnataka. Railway officials confirmed that traffic was restored by 8 pm after clearing the debris, the report said.

As a result, several trains were delayed or halted, including the Netravati Express at Ratnagiri, the Jan Shatabdi Express at Vaibhavwadi, and the Tejas Express at Kankavli.

More rain ahead

The Regional Meteorological Centre in Mumbai has warned that the rainfall may intensify from Wednesday due to a cyclonic circulation likely to form over the east-central Arabian Sea off the Karnataka coast. A low-pressure area is expected to develop around May 22 and could move northward, bringing heavier rains.

IMD official Shubhangi Bhute said parts of Maharashtra including South Konkan, South Central Maharashtra, and Mumbai may be affected. She warned of gusty winds between 30-40 kmph, along with possible heavy downpours, NDTV reported.