Mumbai rain: 177 mm recorded in 6-8 hours, public advised to reach homes before 6.30 pm

Mumbai: Heavy rains lashed Mumbai and several parts of Maharashtra on Monday, bringing the financial capital to a near standstill in several pockets and triggering floods in Nanded, Thane and Palghar.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said Mumbai recorded 177 mm of rainfall in a span of 6–8 hours, causing waterlogging in at least 14 locations. “Suburban train services are functioning with slight delays, while metro services remain unaffected despite the intensity of the downpour. Offices have been advised to let employees leave by 4 pm, as 3–4 metre high tides are expected after 6.30 pm. Citizens must avoid stepping out unless absolutely necessary,” the CM said after reviewing the situation.

Schools and colleges in the city were given a half-day on Monday, and a decision on Tuesday’s classes will be taken later, he added. The chief minister also said standing crops on nearly 4 lakh hectares across Maharashtra have been damaged.

Guardian minister Ashish Shelar said the BMC’s disaster management cell was closely monitoring rainfall, flooding, and transport disruptions. While local train services were mostly operational, BEST buses were asked to run additional services to clear crowds at key railway stations. “Around 30–40 incidents of tree falls have been reported. Teams are clearing debris to restore traffic. A person was injured in south Mumbai after a wall collapse,” Shelar said.

In Chembur, a protection wall built by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) gave way, damaging seven shanties in New Ashok Nagar. Fortunately, no casualties were reported, though videos of the collapse circulated widely on social media.

Elsewhere in Maharashtra, heavy rain wreaked havoc in Nanded district’s Mukhed taluka, where five people went missing after a sharp rise in the water level of Lendi dam, an interstate project shared with Telangana. “In Ravangaon, 225 citizens were trapped, and evacuations are ongoing. In Hasnal and Bhaswadi, people stranded in floodwaters have been rescued. Efforts are on to trace the missing persons,” CM Fadnavis said. One NDRF unit, an Army team, and local police are conducting joint rescue operations.

Nanded collector Rahul Kardile said water discharge from dams was being coordinated with Telangana authorities. The SDRF rescued 21 people from Ravangaon and Hasnal on Sunday.

Thane and Palghar districts also witnessed relentless rainfall since early morning, leading to severe waterlogging and traffic snarls. Flooding was reported on Ghodbunder Road and Chena bridge in Bhayander, while potholes slowed down movement at Varsova and other stretches. A man was swept away after slipping into a drain in Navi Mumbai’s Sector 28 and remained untraced despite rescue efforts, officials said.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Thane on Monday and Tuesday, and for Palghar on Tuesday, warning of extremely heavy rain at isolated places. Civic and disaster response teams remain on high alert.