Heavy rain alert in Mumbai: Dark clouds are currently covering the skies in many parts of Maharashtra. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Nashik, Palghar, Thane, Mumbai city, Mumbai suburbs, Raigad, and Pune. It is predicted that these areas may experience extremely heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and strong winds until September 29th. This warning has further increased the concern of the administration and citizens.
Orange and Yellow Alerts Increase Vigilance
Orange alerts have been issued not only for Mumbai and Thane, but also for Nandurbar, Jalgaon, Bhandara, Ratnagiri, Satara, and Sindhudurg. Heavy rain accompanied by lightning and thunderstorms is also expected here. Several districts, including Gondia, Nagpur, Amravati, Akola, Jalna, Aurangabad, Ahmednagar, and Nanded, have been placed on yellow alert. The Yellow Alert is considered the second level in the Meteorological Department’s four-tier warning system, but the risk remains unchanged.
Mumbai Waterlogged, Many Areas Submerged
Rain has been lashing the capital Mumbai since Saturday night. From Sunday morning to afternoon, several areas recorded rainfall exceeding 50 mm. According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), in just five hours, island Mumbai received 47 mm of rain, the western suburbs 53 mm, and the eastern parts nearly 38 mm. This led to waterlogging in many low-lying areas, disrupting traffic.
Rescue Operations in Thane and Palghar
Torrential rains have also worsened the situation in Thane and Palghar districts, adjoining Mumbai. In Thane’s Bhiwandi taluka, 262 people from 71 families were evacuated to safer locations. The situation in Palghar became so severe that the administration declared a holiday for all government and private schools, Anganwadis, and aided institutions. District Collector Manik Gursal clarified that this step was taken keeping in mind the safety of students and staff.
Increasing threat of flooding and waterlogging
According to the IMD warning, Palghar is likely to experience heavy to very heavy rainfall at many places, with extremely heavy rainfall at some places. This has increased the risk of flooding and waterlogging in the lower parts of the district. The administration has appealed to citizens to avoid unnecessary travel and exercise caution.
Weather in the coming days
The Meteorological Department predicts that heavy rainfall will continue at some point in all districts of Maharashtra until October 3. Torrential rains accompanied by thunderstorms and strong winds will continue, especially in the valley regions of Marathwada and Kolhapur. Strong winds are expected to reach speeds of up to 40 kilometers per hour.
Five people were killed, and thousands were homeless due to the rain
Five people have lost their lives in Maharashtra due to heavy rains in the last 24 hours. Two people died in Ahilyanagar, while one each died in Nashik, Jalna, and Yavatmal. The situation was most severe in Marathwada, where more than 7,000 people were evacuated. So far, more than 11,000 people have been shifted to relief camps and higher ground across the state.
Government and Administration Preparedness
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis held a review meeting with district collectors and directed them to expedite relief operations. He emphasized that the affected people should not face any shortage of food, shelter, or medicines. Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde reviewed the situation in Thane and Palghar and stated that the administration is fully alert. The gates of the Bhatsa Dam have also been opened to control the water pressure.
A climate of both humidity and anxiety
Continuous rain has caused distress to the people of Maharashtra. Flooding and waterlogging remain serious in Mumbai, Konkan, Western Maharashtra, and Marathwada. The administration is trying to speed up relief and rescue operations, but the presence of clouds for the next few days is not going to reduce people’s worries.