The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for Mumbai and its suburbs, forecasting a third consecutive day of heavy rainfall on Tuesday after the city witnessed intense showers over the past 48 hours that disrupted normal life.
As a precautionary measure, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has declared a holiday on Tuesday for all government, private and municipal schools and colleges in Mumbai.
The civic body has also activated its emergency response system on a war footing to deal with the worsening weather conditions and ensure public safety.
According to official BMC data, Mumbai experienced cloudburst-like conditions during the past two days. The island city recorded around 300 mm of rainfall, while the eastern and western suburbs received 380 mm and 345 mm, respectively.
The heavy rain has been accompanied by strong winds with gusts of 70-80 kmph, resulting in several incidents of uprooted trees across the city.
With the IMD forecasting continued heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, lightning and squally winds, the BMC announced the closure of educational institutions late on Monday night.
The Maharashtra government has also advised private companies to allow employees to work from home wherever feasible. On Monday, employees of non-essential government and semi-government offices were granted a half-day leave to enable them to return home before weather conditions worsened.
Persistent rainfall since Monday has caused severe waterlogging in several low-lying areas, disrupting road traffic, operations on the Central and Harbour suburban railway lines, and flight services.
The BMC’s Disaster Management Control Room is monitoring the situation round the clock. High-capacity dewatering pumps, suction machines and additional personnel have been deployed at vulnerable locations to expedite the removal of accumulated water. Rescue teams have also been kept on standby to respond to emergencies, including incidents involving fallen trees, electrical hazards and the collapse of dilapidated structures.
Meanwhile, the BMC has convened a special general body meeting on July 9 to review the rain situation and discuss civic challenges arising from the monsoon. The meeting is expected to see discussions between the ruling and opposition members on the city’s monsoon preparedness and recent rain-related incidents.
(With IANS inputs)
