Heavy rains lash Mumbai: Flights affected

Mumbai's old menace has once again started to haunt the city. Torrential rain lashed the city on Wednesday virtually bringing it to a grinding halt.

Trains and flight schedules have been disrupted and traffic has been paralyzed owing to strong winds and fluctuating visibility. However, the city's subways are not shut.

The city has been experiencing a heavy downpour since Tuesday night and the BMC has issued warnings of high tide as well. (AFP Photo)

The city has received 60.77 mm rainfall since Tuesday. Colaba in south Mumbai received 78.6 mm and suburban Santacruz received 95.0 mm, the MET department said. (AFP Photo)

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has also issued an alert about a high tide of 4.70 metres at 1521 hours today.

"We appeal to Mumbaikars not to venture into the sea and stay away from the coastline area as a high tide has been predicted today," Joint Municipal Commissioner S S Shinde said. (AFP Photo)

Heavy rain, strong winds and fluctuating visibility have hit flight schedule at Mumbai airport.

Flights arriving in the city are running 45 minutes behind schedule, while outgoing flights are late by two hours.

Five flights have been diverted, including one Air India Chennai flight, said officials.

Confusion and uncertainty amongst passengers and staff has put the airport in disarray.

On the outskirts of Mumbai, in the Thane district a wall collapsed possibly due to the rain.

Eight persons were killed and four injured when the wall collapsed on Wednesday morning.

Fire brigade personnel arrived at the spot and the injured have been admitted to a nearby hospital.

The boundary wall of Birla Company fell on the slums at Dnyaneshwar Nagar at 0500 hours, police said.

Trains on the Western Line were running slow for about an hour this morning after a tree fell on an overhead wire between the Dadar and Matunga stations.

Water logging has been reported at Dadar in central Mumbai, Cadbury Junction, Hind Mata and other areas.

Heavy rainfall is expected to continue in the financial capital of the country with strong gusty winds and thundershowers in parts of city and suburbs, the weather department has said. (AFP Photo)