Mumbai rains turn Monday morning into crawl for commuters, city receives 540 mm rainfall in less than two days

Extremely heavy rainfall, coupled with massive traffic jams and waterlogging in several parts of Mumbai, stalled life for commuters on Monday morning. Monsoon gained strength in the city and adjoining areas as Mumbai witnessed rainfall through Sunday night and all through Monday morning. Meanwhile, a 30-year-old man died of electrocution in Govandi on Sunday night, reports said.

A total of 540 millimetres of rain fell in two days, the highest in a decade according to Mumbai Municipal Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi. At least, 100 mm of rainfall was recorded between 4 and 5 am on Monday morning in Palghar (near Mumbai) area alone, ANI reported, with more than 360 mm recorded overnight. Santacruz recorded 91 mm of rainfall in a 24-hour period ending at 8.30 am on Monday.

Private weather agency Skymet said Mumbai is at “serious risk of flooding” between July 3 and 5. “Close to 200 mm or more rain per day is likely during this period, which could hamper normal life,” it said.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted more showers for Mumbai and the parched Marathwada and Vidarbha regions of Maharashtra. A private weather forecaster predicted incessant rains and warned of flooding in Mumbai on 3 and 5 July.

Meanwhile, according to the website tide-forecast , the next high tide in Mumbai is expected at 10.44 pm. The sea waves are expected to reach a height of 3.76 metres.

The delayed arrival of south-west monsoon over Maharashtra has brought about a shortage of 25 percent rainfall in June, the normal precipitation for the month being 207.6 millimetres, an IMD report stated.

It showed the shortfall was 47 percent in Vidarbha, 33 percent in Marathwada and 21 percent in Madhya Maharashtra, leading to all these divisions being categorised as ‘D’, signifying “deficient” rainfall.

Crazy #MumbaiRains! Rained through the night can see bits of flooding. @SkymetWeather predicts flooding through July 3-5. Please be safe! #mumbaimonsoon #MumbaiRain pic.twitter.com/FzYqj2ZbRG

— Eshani Mathur (@eshanimathur5) July 1, 2019

The vehicular movement from suburbs towards South Mumbai and the Bandra-Kurla Complex, where several corporate houses and private companies are located, was slow due to the incessant showers. According to ANI, heavy waterlogging was reported on tracks at Palghar at about 4.30 am on Monday due to incessant rains through the night. This resulted in the delay of 12009 Mumbai Central-Shatabdi Express by an hour.

Several local train services, considered the lifeline of Mumbai, were cancelled or short-terminated as a temporary bamboo structure erected for civil work fell on an overhead wire near the Marine Lines station on the Western line, an official said.

Construction material has been cleared from OHE at Marine Lines but whole construction site is being examined for further precautions. Trains are running on fast lines only between Churchgate & Mumbai Central. Some Slow trains are being reversed from Mumbai Central. pic.twitter.com/HPapbXEulQ

— Western Railway (@WesternRly) July 1, 2019

Once the rains gradually started abating, water logging issues and traffic jams were reported from all across the city. Condition was especially bad in Sion, King Circle, Ghatkopar, Kalyan, Kurla and Palghar. Social media turned into city reporter on Monday with users on Twitter sharing videos and photos of jammed roads and flooded train tracks. The veracity of most of these videos, however, could not be ascertained.

Mumbai: Heavy traffic jam in Bhakti Park area, Eastern Freeway. #MumbaiRain pic.twitter.com/u5YZCkPjBC

— ANI (@ANI) July 1, 2019

#MumbaiRain flooding at Hindmata, Parel. pic.twitter.com/e4JGe3fZXd

— Sheldon Pinto (@shellshocd) July 1, 2019

#WATCH Mumbai: Children wade through water to go to school as streets in Dadar East have been flooded due to heavy rainfall. pic.twitter.com/x3fQa0PAnG

— ANI (@ANI) July 1, 2019

@NMMConline @CMOMaharashtra this is arterial thane belapur road, mulund airoli link road this morning. Start of a wetty Monday. #MumbaiRainsLive pic.twitter.com/q8huXkQ0zU

— Prasanna (@prasannapahade) July 1, 2019

#MumbaiRainsLive King Circle water logging @RidlrMUM @mybmc pic.twitter.com/NJdExbYTue

— Amir khan (@AmirReport) July 1, 2019

Rained fairly heavily in many parts of Mumbai overnight and lot more heavy showers to come next few hours. This is far more rains than expected today. #MumbaiRains

— Mumbai Weather (@IndiaWeatherMan) July 1, 2019

#MumbaiRainsLive #water logging at Sion, traffic is slow in that particular area, if possible avoid the root. @mid_day @RidlrMUM @patel_bhupen #mumbaimonsoon pic.twitter.com/SqeCnUspLB

— Suraj Ojha (@surajojhaa) July 1, 2019

Residential areas in Chembur were also flooded:

Mumbai: Streets in Chembur flooded, following heavy rainfall in the state. pic.twitter.com/ovxTgWzhzP

— ANI (@ANI) July 1, 2019

Several trains were cancelled and several others rescheduled.

Due to very heavy rains in Palghar through Sunday night, 13 trains have been cancelled, Western Railway PRO said. After the water levels receded, trains from Palghar started running from at 8.05 am at restricted speed of 30 km/h in view of safety. “There was a bit of waterlogging after heavy rain of more than 500 mm through Mumbai and its suburbs, but we have made arrangements to clear it,” Sunil Udasi, Chief PRO of Central Railway was quoted as saying, adding that all Central Railway trains are running, albeit with delays. Udasi also said that as many as 500 officers and staff had been deployed to clear traffic.

Train movement has been started at Palghar in Mumbai Division at 08.05 hrs (1/7/19). It was stopped after very heavy rains {361 mm}. Here is the consolidated details of cancellation/short termination etc. #WRUpdates pic.twitter.com/dVy7f5y7e9

— Western Railway (@WesternRly) July 1, 2019

Western Railway said that some trains in the Mumbai-Valsad-Surat section have been cancelled due to water-logging in Palghar section. Western Railway later confirmed that water levels had receded and train movement had re-started from 8.05 am. However, train speeds were restricted to 30 km/h to ensure safety.

Due to heavy rains between Kurla and Sion, Up fast line services held up, Central Railway tweeted https://twitter.com/Central_Railway/status/1145540296937107456. Suburban services running cautiously on Dn fast, Up & Dn slow lines. On harbour line at Vadala Road trains running with slow speed.

Several videos on social media were shared of the Sion station. The railway tracks were submerged due to incessant rains through the night. Heavy winds led to bamboo from nearby construction work falling on tracks at Marine Lines. All trains on the Churchgate-Marine Lines were stopped. Restoration work is on and traffic is expected to resume in 30 minutes, Western Railway tweeted. Social media users shared images of packed railway stations and reported that trains were running late on most route.

And to think #IndusValley in the Bronze Age had a #drainage system that not only worked, but was best in class. #MumbaiRains #Waterlogging pic.twitter.com/QB9HdJGQ1x

— Preeti Bose (Order ‘A Face for You’) (@preetibose26) July 1, 2019

All lines on Central Railways main line are operational now. However, due to bunching of trains, the standstill locals have started operating. “Please don’t panic. Inconvenience is deeply regretted,” Central Railway PRO tweeted. https://twitter.com/Central_Railway/status/1145552365493223424

The importance of social media surfaces at such times. While traffic, both road and railway, starts picking up, Twitter users have been constantly sharing videos and images of stalled traffic, submerged railway tracks. One user tweeted saying that it took more than an hour to reach from Mulund to Ghatkopar in a fast train. Most of the trains are stuck at Sion, some users informed.

#WadalaWest #MumbaiRainsLive stay safe peeps. pic.twitter.com/31IyOmzMzy

— Vrutika Shah (@vrutikas11) July 1, 2019

Avoid Sion flyover in direction of Chembur. Heavy congestion as people are taking a U-turn to avoid water clogged road ahead. #MumbaiRainsLive @odmag pic.twitter.com/cusixQcSlB

— Aditya Chatterjee (@adityachatterG) July 1, 2019