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Mumbai rain: Schools, colleges to remain shut on Sept 26; flights, trains disrupted
Mumbai rain: Rail tracks have been submerged at Kurla, Bhandup, and Vikhroli, causing delays of up to an hour on the Central Railway (CR) line.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasted severe thunderstorms, lightning, and heavy rain for Wednesday evening across several districts in Maharashtra, including Mumbai, Palghar, and Satara. Gusty winds reaching speeds of 40-50 kmph are expected to impact isolated areas over the next few hours, the agency warned in its bulletin.
The IMD has placed the region under a red alert, urging residents to take precautions while venturing outdoors.
Flight operations at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport have already been disrupted due to the adverse weather. Earlier, an Indigo flight aborted landing due to wind shear and diverted to Ahmedabad.
As of 9:56pm, 14 Mumbai-bound flights have been diverted, and more disruptions are expected as the weather worsens.
“Due to bad weather (heavy rain) in Mumbai (BOM), all departures/arrivals and their consequential flights may get affected,” SpiceJet said in a statement, urging passengers to keep a check on their flight status on the airline's website.
Mumbai’s suburban train network has also been heavily impacted by the torrential rain. Rail tracks have been submerged at Kurla, Bhandup, and Vikhroli, causing delays of up to an hour on the Central Railway (CR) line. Announcements at stations have informed commuters that trains will not be halting at Nahur, Kanjurmarg, and Vidyavihar stations, adding to the transport chaos.
Train cancellations have begun on the western line, leading to heavy crowding at Churchgate and other stations. Commuters are facing long delays as the city's transport system struggles to cope with the relentless rain.
Schools, colleges closed
In view of the IMD forecast, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation announced that all schools and colleges in Mumbai will remain closed on Thursday.
"The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) administration requests Mumbaikars to step out of homes only if required," the BMC posted on X.
"The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) administration requests Mumbaikars to step out of homes only if required."
IMD forecast for Mumbai and neighbouring areas
The IMD has warned of an increase in rainfall and thunderstorm activity over parts of Maharashtra in the coming days, as a trough from lower to mid-levels strengthens over the North Konkan region. Widespread heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected across Mumbai, Konkan, Madhya Maharashtra, and Marathwada over the next two to three days.
The weather forecast indicates rainfall levels between 64.5 mm and 204.4 mm, with some areas likely to experience extreme heavy rainfall exceeding 204.5 mm. Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds of 40-50 km/h are expected to continue across the region during this period. The trough extends from North Konkan to South Bangladesh and is interacting with a cyclonic circulation over South Chhattisgarh, heightening the weather intensity.
The weather system responsible for the intensifying conditions includes a trough and a shear zone extending from North Konkan to South Bangladesh, which has merged with other atmospheric disturbances.
