Mumbai rains LATEST updates: Mumbai Rains Updates: After the Mahalaxmi Express rescue operations were concluded on Saturday, Home Minister Amit Shah congratulated the rescue efforts of NDRF, Indian Army and the Indian Navy, who had successfully evacuated all 700 stranded passengers in the train.
All the passengers stranded on board the Mumbai-Kolhapur Mahalaxmi Express have been evacuated safely, Central Railways said. The Maharashtra government has evacuated them to the Badlapur station, from where three buses and fourteen tempos will facilitate their onward journeys.
Over 600 passengers on Mahalaxmi Express have been safely rescued due to the collective efforts of NDRF, Indian Navy, Indian Army and the Air Force.
A local resident saved the lives of six tourists who were stuck in heavy waters after flow from Lonavla's famous Bhushi Dam in Pune district, according to media reports.
The NDRF teams have rescued 500 stranded passengers so far from the Mahalaxmi Expressway. The evacuated passengers, who were now lodged at safe places, will be moved to Badlapur.
Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has given instruction to the Chief Secretary to personally monitor rescue operations at Wangani, where people were stranded in Mahalaxmi Express.
ANI reported that four NDRF teams were present at the spot near Badlapur, helping in evacuating passengers with the help of eight boats.
The Chief Public Relations Officer, Central Railway, Sunil Udasi said that thirteen trains were diverted, six short-terminated and two were cancelled due to the overflowing Ulhas river, which resulted in water logging at Ambernath, ANI reported.
The NDRF rescue teams have so far rescued 117 people, including both women and children, stranded at Mahalaxmi Express near Badlapur.
Education Minister Ashish Shelar authorized school and college principals in Mumbai to declare a holiday to ensure students are not inconvenienced if heavy continue to lash city.
Heavy rains in Mumbai affected air services leading to cancellation of 11 flights and diversion of nine incoming aircraft to nearby airports on Saturday, an official said.
After the Mahalaxmi Express was stranded near Badlapur due to water logging on tracks owing to the overflowing Ulhas River, eight flood rescue teams from Navy, including three diving teams, were mobilised with rescue material, inflatable boats and life jackets. A seaking helicopter was also sent with divers for deployment in the area as advance assessment party.
The Chief Public Relations Officer of Central Railways Sunil Udasi said that the number of passengers held up at Mahalaxmi Express near Badlapur was not 2,000 but, 700.
A team of National Disaster Response Force arrived at the location where Mahalaxmi Express is held up between Badlapur and Wangani with as many as 2,000 passengers on-board.
Due to heavy rainfall and waterlogging, Mahalaxmi Express is held up between Badlapur and Wangani at KM72 with around 2000 passengers.
Even though the rains have stopped in several parts of Mumbai, areas like King's Circle, Chembur, Sion, Matunga remained heavily waterlogged on Saturday morning.
An orange alert has been issued for Mumbai, Thane, and Pune on Friday. An orange alert is a signal for authorities to gear up for a situation that might eventually turn severe.
It is predicted that heavy to very heavy rain will be seen in Mumbai, Thane, and Raigad. Extremely heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places in Palghar.
"Due to heavy-to-very-heavy rainfall possibility from 27 July, there may be flooding in low-lying areas. Wall collapses in case of old structures cannot be ruled out," an IMD official told Times of India.
Mumbai and Thane may receive heavy rainfall (64.5 millimetre - 204.4 millimetre) till 28 July. Weathermen said there is a cyclonic circulation over South Gujarat and the neighbourhood and a feeble offshore trough from North Maharashtra coast to Karnataka coast.
"Rainfall in last 24 hrs at morning 6.30 am today in Mumbai and around. Few stations reported heavy rainfall in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. Rest it was moderate as expected. Today watch for more rains," KS Hosalikar, Deputy Director General (DDG), IMD tweeted.
A red alert was issued for 26 and 28 July in Palghar. The alerts intended to signify stages of rough weather, ranging from yellow to orange to red.
IMD in its Friday bulletin said that more than 3 cm rainfall was recorded on Thursday. It also predicted "heavy to very heavy rainfall" during the next five days across Maharashtra.
"Weather Forecast by I.M.D at 08:00 Hours - INTERMITTENT RAIN/SHOWERS WITH HEAVY FALLS IN CITY AND SUBURBS DURING NIGHT/EARLY MORNING," BMC tweeted.
Earlier, rainfall in Mumbai inundated several areas across the city including Sion, Matunga, Mahim, Andheri, Malad and Dahisar causing traffic snarls at major junctions.
On Wednesday, the city saw waterlogging and heavy rainfall across the city. On Thursday, Skymet weather and IMD predicted heavy showers for Friday.
On Thursday, Santa Cruz observatory recorded 25.4 millimetre and Colaba 11.6 millimetre. Rain since 1 June at Colaba has been 1,292.9 millimetre and Santa Cruz 1,584.5 millimetre.
The monsoon got active on Tuesday midnight, with the island city recording the highest rain this season of 173mm. "There is a strong monsoon circulation over central and northwest India with the presence of an active monsoon trough slightly to the south of its normal position," said KS Hosalikar, deputy director-general (meteorology), Regional IMD.
With inputs from ANI.
A red alert was issued for 26 and 28 July in Palghar. The alerts intended to signify stages of rough weather, ranging from yellow to orange to red.
