Mumbai Faces Deluge: IMD Issues Orange Alert for Heavy Rain

The India Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert for Mumbai predicting very heavy rain within the next 24 hours. Heavy rainfall has led to traffic jams, waterlogging, and disruption of train and flight services. Schools were also closed and exams canceled due to the weather condition.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for Mumbai, indicating the city will experience very heavy rainfall within the next 24 hours. The announcement follows a bout of heavy rain on Monday morning that caused significant traffic jams and waterlogging across the city.

Sunil Kamble, IMD Director at Mumbai, told ANI, 'Around 270 mm of rainfall was recorded between 2 am and 6 am today. An 'orange' alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall has been issued in Mumbai for the next 24 hours. A 'yellow' alert for heavy rain has been issued for tomorrow.' Ram Karan Yadav, General Manager of Central Railway, confirmed that over 300 mm of rain had fallen in just six hours since Sunday night, severely affecting train services.

'It has been raining heavily since (Sunday) night. More than 300 mm of rain has fallen in 6 hours. We are monitoring the situation and trying to keep the trains running,' said Yadav, noting that waterlogging was particularly bad around Kurla Bhandup and from Wadala to Mankhurd on the Harbour Line, causing service disruptions. He urged people to avoid unnecessary travel and informed that some trains were canceled or diverted.

Flight operations at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport were also hit by the heavy rain on Monday morning. Schools were closed, and exams scheduled for the day were canceled. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation reported that Colaba recorded 83.8 mm of rainfall, while Santacruz saw 267.9 mm in the last 24 hours. Overall, Mumbai has received 2547 mm of rainfall, amounting to 27 percent of the average annual rain during the same period.

Heavy rains led to waterlogging in several low-lying areas and disrupted suburban train services, according to the city's civic body. Troubled spots included Worli, Buntara Bhavan in Kurla East, King's Circle in Mumbai, and Vidyavihar Railway Station.

(With inputs from agencies.)