Mumbai rains updates: Over 500 rescued from two stranded Monorail trains in Mumbai

More than 500 passengers were rescued on Tuesday evening after two overcrowded Monorail trains on elevated tracks got stuck between stations in Mumbai on a day of torrential rains, with over a dozen passengers complaining of suffocation, officials said.

The rescue operation was over after almost four hours, they said, adding that overcrowding and power supply failure led to the snags. -- PTI

MMRDA says preliminary checks revealed that due to overcrowding, the total weight of the monorail rose to around 109 metric tonnes, which exceeded its designed capacity of 104 metric tonnes. This excess weight caused a break in the mechanical contact between the power rail and the current collector, cutting off the electricity supply required to run the train.

The overcrowding was triggered by the closure of the Indian Railways Harbour Line owing to heavy rainfall in Mumbai, it says.

"MMRDA is actively coordinating with BMC and emergency services to provide passenger assistance, deboard affected commuters safely, and restore power and operations at the earliest. Immediate corrective actions are underway, and a detailed technical review is being conducted to prevent recurrence," says MMRDA. -- ANI

Over 200 passengers evacuated from stranded Monorail, rescue operation on, says Mumbai additional municipal commissioner Ashwini Joshi. -- PTI

Mumbai rains live updates: High tidal waves crash at Gateway of India

Elevated Mono Rail gets stuck between Mysore Colony and Bhakti Park stations amid heavy rains in Mumbai; cranes being used for rescue. -- PTI

Mumbai received a record rainfall of nearly 300 mm, while a rise in the Mithi river level triggered evacuation of 400-500 people as the second straight day of downpour on Tuesday severely disrupted road, rail traffic and crippled normal life.

Flooded streets which resembled rivers at several places, stranded commuters and vehicles struggling to navigate the inundated roads once again highlighted the financial capital's annual challenge in dealing with the monsoon rains.

12 people have died in Maharashtra as heavy rains lead to flooding. According to CNN-News18, one person died as wall collapsed due to heavy rains.

Commuters faced severe hardship on Tuesday as local train services of the Central Railway were disrupted on its main and harbour lines due to submergence of tracks after torrential rains in Mumbai. At some places, the tracks were submerged under as much as 17 inches of water, officials said.

The Central Railway suspended its suburban services on the main between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (in south Mumbai) and Thane and on the harbour line between CSMT and Kurla.

Some long distance trains were also rescheduled or cancelled and the Central Railway (CR) set up help desks at various stations to help the stranded passengers, they said. A large number of commuters were inconvenienced and many were forced to jump out of the stranded trains and walk through the waterlogged tracks.

Civic personnel distributed biscuits to the stranded passengers in some places. A commuter told PTI that their local train was stranded near Ghatkopar for more than half-an-hour and hence, some passengers jumped on to the tracks to reach the nearest station. A nurse working with the Tata Hospital said their train did not move from its spot in Parel area for more than three hours since 12.30 pm.

Mumbai rains live updates: Indigo issues travel advisory

At least eight flights were diverted and many were delayed at the Mumbai airport as heavy rains battered the city, inundating several areas on Tuesday. Airlines informed passengers about flight delays due to persistent rain, and low-visibility procedures were put in place intermittently.

Eight persons have died in Maharashtra's Nanded district which witnessed flooding due to a cloudburst-like situation, while Mumbai received a record rainfall of around 300 mm, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Tuesday. The next 48 hours is crucial, he said.

Maharashtra Minister Mangal Prasad Lodha on incessant rains in Mumbai said, "The police, NDRF and BMC are handling the situation well, and public transport and local trains are still operating despite a red alert. There are 5 teams of NDRF that are also present as a precautionary measure."

The Central Railway, today, suspended local train services on the Harbour Line between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and Kurla, as well as on the Main Line between Kurla and Sion, due to waterlogging caused by heavy rains, officials said.

A senior Central Railway official said the Harbour Line services were halted from 11:20 am after tracks were submerged under nearly 12 inches of water, with the nearby Mithi river swelling.

Suburban train services, including those of Western Railway, were delayed since morning as water accumulated on tracks at several locations following incessant rains in the city.

Operations at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport were disrupted early today due to heavy rainfall, forcing eight flights to divert between 9:00 am and 9:50 am.

According to Flightradar, 155 departing flights were delayed, while 102 inbound services also ran behind schedule.

The BMC has declared a holiday for all government and private schools and colleges in the city for today in view of the IMD red alert for extremely heavy rainfall.

The holiday also applies to teaching and non-teaching staff, as per officials.

All government and semi-government offices in Mumbai will remain closed, and private establishments have been urged to allow employees to work from home.

Local train services and road traffic faced delays early morning as the city continued to be battered by heavy rains.

In response to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) red Alert warning for extremely heavy rainfall across Mumbai City and its suburban areas for tomorrow, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has announced that all government, private, and municipal schools and colleges in the city and suburbs will remain closed for the day.

"The decision has been taken as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of students and staff, given the possibility of intense downpours, waterlogging, and traffic disruptions," X post shared by BMC said.

Several parts of Mumbai received more than 100 mm rainfall in nine hours on Monday, with Vikhroli in the eastern suburbs topping the chart with a 135 mm downpour, an official from the India Meteorological Department said.

Incessant rains pounded Mumbai city, its suburbs and the neighbouring districts on Monday, with the IMD issuing a red alert forecasting heavy rainfall on Tuesday as well.

As per the data shared by the IMD, Vikhroli recorded the highest rainfall of 135.5 mm between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm, followed by 124 mm in Chembur, 123.9 mm in Santacruz and 123.5 mm in Juhu.

The western suburb of Bandra, where the Bandra-Kurla Complex business district is located, received 102.5 mm rain during the same period, while Mahalaxmi recorded 45 mm. In south Mumbai, Byculla logged 88.5 mm showers, while the Colaba observatory registered 45.2 mm, the IMD official added.

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation officials earlier said the intensity of rain lessened after 2 pm, adding that areas like Dadar, Worli, Chembur, Sion, Juhu, Vikhroli, etc., received more than 150 millimetres between 8.30 am and 2.30 pm. -- PTI

Vihar Lake overflows among 7 lakes supplying water to Mumbai: BMC

Central Railway spokesperson Swapnil Nila told PTI that tracks were submerged at Sion, Govandi, Mankhurd, Chembur and Kurla, while water had accumulated at some other places on the network. "Suburban services on Harbour line were running at least 20-22 minutes late. The delay on the Main line is 20-25 minutes," Nila said.

CR said it had deployed personnel along its tracks in low-lying areas like Dadar, Parel, Byculla, Matunga, Wadala, Chembur, Mankhurd, Chunabhatti etc. Several passengers, however, claimed the delays on the network were longer, especially in Kurla and Wadala.

Western Railway said, We managed to remain afloat due to persistent efforts of railways staff".

A Mumbai Metro Line 3 spokesperson said the underground route, also called Aqua Line, was running as per schedule despite heavy rains.

More than 200 villagers were stranded in Maharashtra's Nanded district amid incessant rains on Monday, prompting authorities to deploy the army for rescue and relief efforts, officials said.

Five persons are reported missing from Mukhed taluka of Nanded district, around 600 km from Mumbai, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said.

Police rescued six children and two staff members from a school bus stranded on a waterlogged street in Matunga area of Mumbai amid heavy rainfall on Monday, officials said. Viral videos showing policemen carrying children on their backs while wading through waist-deep water earned widespread praise from netizens and Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti.

The bus was transporting the children and staff after their school declared a half-day due to incessant rains lashing the city. Following the rescue, the children were then taken to the Matunga police station for safety reasons, an official said.

Heavy rains in Mumbai since the early hours of Monday threw life out of gear in several parts of the metropolis, resulting in hardships to citizens, including to those visiting a hospital in Chembur hit by waterlogging.

Several persons were seen carrying ailing kin on their backs to gain access to the Maa General Hospital, which is run by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.

Pumps had to be deployed at the hospital to tackle waterlogging, a civic official said.

Heavy rainfall triggers waterlogging in several parts of Dadar

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said Mumbai received 177 millimetres of rain in a 6-8 hour period on Monday and asked citizens to observe all precautions since more is expected through the day along with high tides.

A protection wall constructed by the MMRDA collapsed amid heavy rains, damaging seven shanties in the eastern suburbs in Mumbai, a civic official said on Monday.

There were no reports of injuries in the incident that took place in the New Ashok Nagar locality of Chembur on Sunday evening, he said.

Mumbai has been experiencing heavy rainfall since Monday morning, leading to delays in local trains due to decreased visibility and waterlogging at some places.

Both the Mainline and the Harbourline are delayed by nearly 10 to 15 minutes. The administration is on high alert and, all necessary precautions are being taken to avoid any mishap in heavy rain.

Nanded, Maharashtra: Cloudburst reported in Mukhed. SDRF teams are on the ground, while an Army team has been dispatched from Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar for rescue operations.

Heavy rain lashes Pune; IMD issues yellow alert for Pimpri-Chinchwad and surrounding areas.

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis says, "Several regions in Maharashtra are experiencing heavy rainfall. While some areas are under a red alert, others have been issued orange alerts. We are preparing for the possibility of flood-like situations. Mumbai has been severely affected and remains under a red alert for the next few hours. We have advised people to stay indoors, and schools have been closed early as a precaution. A high-tide alert has also been issued for the next few days in Mumbai."

Mumbaikars woke up to very heavy rainfall on Monday, as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a ‘red’ alert, forecasting extremely heavy rains at isolated places in the city and adjoining areas. The civic body declared a holiday for schools and colleges, officials said.

Heavy rain lashes Mumbai, leading to waterlogging in several areas