Heavy rains lash Mumbai, many die


Mumbai: Heavy rains lashed Mumbai and its suburbs for several hours, leading to flooded roads and the suspension of local trains. At least 31 people have died in rain-related incidents in Mumbai’s Chembur and Vikhroli areas, as per BMC, the city’s municipal body.

The Regional Meteorological Centre of Mumbai has predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall at few places, with extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places.

BMC said more than 200 mm of rainfall was recorded between 11 pm on Saturday and 4 am on Sunday. A BMC centre at Dahisar recorded the highest 226.82 mm of rainfall, followed by Chembur with 218.45 mm.

The Maharashtra government, BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the North Konkan districts of Palghar, Thane and Raigad are on alert.

State Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray has said that the situation is being monitored. ‘Some places have crossed 200 mm now. Mumbai has faced an extremely intense system of precipitation accompanied by thundering. The BMC pumps are operational and officers are on ground,’ Thackeray tweeted.

A landslide in Mahul’s Bharat Nagar claimed the most lives with 19 people reported dead till evening; rescue operations were on at time of going to press. In Vikhroli’s Surya Nagar, 10 hutment dwellers were killed as five shanties collapsed after a landslide. Both the Centre and state announced relief for the families of those killed in landslides in Mahul and Vikhroli.

In some of these low-lying areas, people were seen removing water that entered their homes following the downpour. Some people were seen walking in knee-deep water.