Mumbai: No suburban trains will run after heavy rain flooded several parts of the city since Sunday night
Sixteen people have been killed overnight in two rain-related accidents in Mumbai and the neighbouring city of Thane as the city witnessed heavy rain overnight. Several suburban and long-distance trains have been cancelled after railway tracks were flooded. The Maharashtra government has declared a public holiday today in Mumbai as a precautionary measure following the incessant rain and has asked people to stay indoors.
54 flights have been diverted as the main runway of the Mumbai airport was closed last night after a SpiceJet plane overshot the runway last night while landing. The plane is still stuck on the runway. A runway one is being used for flight operations.
The city received the highest rainfall in a decade over a two-day period since Sunday, resulting in massive traffic jams and flooding homes in low-lying areas. "Due to heavy rain forecast in Mumbai even today by IMD, People are advised to stay indoors unless there is any emergency," Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's office tweeted.
The state government said that only emergency services will remain functional in Mumbai today.
"It's nature's fury... Moving trains in such rains in Kurla Thane section is safety hazard at this point of time... Suburban Train movement has been suspended till further advice. Inconvenience is deeply regretted," Central Railway tweeted minutes after midnight on Tuesday. But this morning, Western and Central Railway have been tweeting updates of train lines that are functional.
Passengers of three suburban trains who got stuck on flooded tracks were evacuated by Railway Protection Force (RPF) staff, Central Railway tweeted.
Thirteen people were killed and four critically injured after a compound wall crashed in Mumbai's Malad East early this morning. Officials fear that three to five persons may be trapped in debris. In neighbouring Thane's Kalyan, three, including a three-year-old boy, have been killed after the wall of a school crashed on two houses. The government has announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the families of those who died in the Malad wall collapse.
Late last night, a SpiceJet plane that came from Jaipur overshot the runway during landing at Mumbai airport amid heavy rain. No one was injured.
All schools and colleges will remain closed on Tuesday, the municipal commissioner said in a late night order.
The Western Express Highway which leads to Mumbai airport was flooded after continuous rain in the city, making it extremely difficult for people running to catch their flights reach the airport on time.
Since Sunday night, it rained a total of 540 millimetres - the highest over a two-day period in a decade, Mumbai Municipal Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi told NDTV. "...In June, average rainfall was 515 mm. We have got 540 mm in just two days. This is the highest in a decade," he said.
Residents tweeted videos and photographs of flooded roads.
According to private weather forecaster Skymet, levels of rainfall are likely to increase from the night of July 3, following a weather system forming in the Bay of Bengal that is moving towards the western coast of the country.