- By Nidhi Giri
- Mon, 22 Jul 2024 03:59 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Maharashtra Weather: Moderate rainfall is very likely to occur at isolated places over Nandurbar, Palghar, Raigad during the next three hours, stated India Meteorological Department (IMD). Meanwhile, Mumbai and its surrounding areas were pounded by heavy monsoon downpour on Monday, leading to widespread flooding, travel chaos and the declaration of a school holiday. As per IMD, the financial capital is likely to witness "heavy to very heavy rain" throughout the day, with the possibility of "extremely heavy rainfall" in isolated locations.
Early on Monday, several areas of Mumbai experienced significant rainfall, with Malabar Hill and Mulund Hill recording 34 millimetres between 6 am and 7 am. Other parts of the city, including Bhandup, Wadala East, and Versova, also saw substantial downpours of 29 mm, 24 mm and 20 mm respectively.
BMC Issues Alert
The BMC Issued alert stating, “Today, Mumbai will experience the highest high tide of this monsoon season so far.” The BMC also added, “Heavy to very heavy rain is expected in the city and suburbs, with the possibility of extremely heavy rainfall in isolated areas.”
Mumbai Local Train Update
The heavy rains led to the flooding of numerous roads, disrupting traffic and commuter services across the metropolis. While local train services on both the Western and Central Railway networks were initially reported to be running normally, passengers reported delays of up to 10 minutes.
Schools Shut In Nagpur, Bhandara, Gondia And Other Districts
Anticipating the severe weather conditions, the local administration declared a public holiday for schools in the Nagpur, Bhandara, Gondia, Chandrapur and Gadchiroli districts of the Vidarbha region, as well as four tehsils (administrative divisions) in the coastal Raigad district.
NDRF Deployed In THESE Areas
In response to the extreme weather, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) deployed teams in various vulnerable areas, including Vasai, Thane, Ghatkopar, Powai, Mahad, Khed, Chiplun, Kudal, Kolhapur, Sangli, and Satara. These teams were tasked with conducting reconnaissance in low-lying and landslide-prone regions, ready to respond to any emergencies.
Air India Announces Refund
The heavy rainfall also disrupted air travel, with several flights in and out of Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport experiencing cancellations and diversions. In response, national carrier Air India announced that it would offer full refunds or one-time complimentary rescheduling for all flights booked for travel on July 21.
