Mumbai received rains 30 times more than usual on Tuesday, paralysing the city.
For a 13-year-old rape survivor in Mumbai, the heavy rains that that brought the city to a standstill, made her wait for abortion test longer. She is 30 weeks pregnant and is waiting to be examined by doctors who will assess if she can abort the foetus.
Laws in India do not allow medical terminations after 20 weeks unless there is a threat to the mother's life.
The girl's mother had approached the Supreme Court for permission to abort after
discovering earlier this month that her daughter is pregnant. Noted gynecologist Dr Nikhil Datar is assisting the family with their petition.
The top court set up a medical board of doctors from Mumbai's Sir JJ Group of Hospitals to examine the girl. However, due to the incessant rains on Tuesday, the girl could not travel to the hospital for medical examination as all transport services were paralysed.
The Supreme Court has asked the doctors to examine the girl tomorrow and give a report.
At 331.4 mm, Mumbai received the heaviest rainfall since the July 26, 2005 record of 944 mm, which had caused the worst havoc in decades in the city. It was 30 times more than usual.
On Thursday, the Supreme Court allowed a
20-year-old pregnant woman in Pune to abort her foetus without a skull or brain. She is 24 weeks pregnant.
Last month, a 10-year-old rape survivor in Chandigarh was not allowed by the Supreme Court to abort when she was 32 weeks pregnant. She delivered a baby girl earlier this month. Another 10-year-old rape survivor in Haryana, however, was allowed to abort her nearly 21-week foetus in May.