Mumbai rain mayhem: IMD issues ‘red alert’; local trains affected, Mumbai University exam postponed | 10 updates

Heavy rain in Mumbai led to Mithi River swelling close to danger levels. The IMD has issued a red alert and University of Mumbai postponed Wednesday's exams.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert of very heavy rain for Mumbai for Wednesday, August 20, a day after another spell of downpour battered the Maharashtra capital for the fifth consecutive, paralysing life with flooding, suspended trains, flight diversions and evacuation drives in low-lying areas.

People climb onto the roof of buses moving through a waterlogged road amid rainfall at Kurla in Mumbai after heavy rainfall on Tuesday. (Raju Shinde/HT Photo)

As many as 782 passengers were rescued on Tuesday evening after two overcrowded Monorail trains on elevated tracks got stuck between stations in Mumbai, leading to panic and frantic rescue efforts. More than a dozen passengers complained of suffocation with a couple of them reportedly fainting as electricity and air-conditioning shut down, though only one passenger had to be hospitalised and her condition was said to be stable.

Passengers being rescued after a Monorail train came to a halt between Mysore Colony and Bhakti Park stations due to apparent power failure during rainfall in Mumbai on Tuesday evening.

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Meanwhile, the University of Mumbai postponed all examinations scheduled for Wednesday.

Mumbai rain: Here are 10 updates

1. IMD's red alert, intensity to reduce from Thursday: The IMD on Wednesday issued a warning for very heavy rainfall and thunderstorms for Mumbai. The IMD issued a red nowcast warning for Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, Raigad, and Ratnagiri districts, indicating intense to very intense rainfall spells accompanied by gusty winds of 40-50 kmph, with gusts reaching up to 60 kmph. The IMD has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall in Mumbai, with waterlogging and traffic disruptions expected. "#Red #Nowcast #warning for heavy rain accompanied with thunderstorm- #Maharashtra- Thane, Pune, Raigad #Madhya Pradesh- Sagar, Balaghat #Mumbai city #Orange Nowcast Warning for Mumbai Moderate spells of rain very likely," IMD posted on X. However, officials said the rainfall intensity is expected to reduce from Thursday. Raigad district remains under a red alert, while Thane, Palghar and Ratnagiri are on orange.
2. Mumbai local trains cancelled, then restored: Local train services on the Central Railway's harbour line were restored by 3am on Wednesday, more than 15 hours, news agency PTI reported. All public transport services in Mumbai, including local trains, resumed normal operations on Wednesday morning, a day after the torrential rains crippled normal life, it said, citing officials. According to Swanil Nila, chief public relations officer of the Central Railway, the harbour line services were fully restored after the water receded from tracks at 3am. The services were suspended at around 11.15am on Tuesday. Western Railway trains are delayed by up to 35 minutes, while Central Railway services are running 45 minutes late. The main line operations, between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in south Mumbai and Thane stations, resumed from 7.30pm on Tuesday, but the harbour line, which connects Navi Mumbai to south Mumbai, remained suspended even after midnight. In some sections of the harbour line, tracks went under 15 inches of water.
3. Long-distance trains short-terminated and diverted: Several major long-distance trains were either short-terminated or diverted. The Jodhpur–Dadar Express was halted at Borivali, while its return service originated from there instead of Dadar. Meanwhile, trains like the Ahmedabad–Pune Duronto and Jaipur–Pune Express were diverted via Surat–Udhna–Jalgaon, causing longer travel times and passenger inconvenience.
4. University of Mumbai postpones August 20 exams: The University of Mumbai issued a circular late Tuesday, postponing all examinations scheduled for August 20. The decision covers both Summer 2025 and Winter 2025 sessions. The university cited student safety as the main concern, with public transport heavily disrupted. Revised dates will be announced soon. Check details here.
5. Record rainfall: Mumbai recorded more than 200 mm of rain in just 11 hours on Tuesday, leading to widespread flooding across the city. Streets in Kurla, Dadar, Andheri and Sion resembled rivers, making commuting nearly impossible. The downpour also caused wall collapses, tree falls and power disruptions in several parts of the city.
6. Mithi River nears danger mark: The Mithi River rose alarmingly to 3.9 metres, close to its 4-metre danger mark, triggering an urgent evacuation of vulnerable slum clusters in Kurla’s Kranti Nagar. More than 400 residents, many of whom live in makeshift homes, were shifted to safer shelters with the help of the NDRF and civic teams.
7. Flight operations disrupted at city airport: Aviation services were also impacted as heavy rain reduced visibility and flooded parts of the airport’s operational areas. At least eight flights were diverted on Tuesday, while several more faced long delays. Passengers reported overcrowding at terminals as airlines scrambled to rebook and accommodate stranded travellers.
8. Over 700 rescued from two stranded Monorail trains: Overcrowding by passengers, who had no other option left with the downpour crippling the suburban local train services, led to the power failure as the Monorail system is not capable of handling a sudden rush, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) said. As many as 582 passengers were rescued from the Monorail train stuck between Mysore Colony and Bhakti Park by deploying snorkel ladders, as the train could not be towed back. Whereas 200 passengers were evacuated from another Monorail train, which was successfully towed back to the nearby Wadala station, officials said.
9. 'Fake' message on school closure: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said a message, claiming schools and colleges in the metropolis would remain closed on Wednesday in view of a ‘red’ rain alert warning, was fake. The civic body clarified that it has not issued any school closure message for August 20.
10. Rain in other parts of Maharashtra: Heavy rain in parts of the Konkan, Marathwada and Western Maharashtra continued for the fourth consecutive day on Tuesday, taking the death toll to 24 across the state. On Tuesday, five deaths were reported in rain-related incidents, three in Nanded, and one each in Mumbai and Beed district. More than 1,550 people in four districts have been shifted to safer places as more heavy rain has been forecast for the next two days. In the Konkan, rivers in Ratnagiri and Raigad districts have reached their danger levels, with the state authorities making arrangements for the controlled discharge of water to them breaching their banks.