Mumbai rains latest update: IMD issue orange alert as city celebrates Ganesh Chaturthi

Owing to heavy rainfall, low lying areas are expected to be flooded and waterlogging may lead to traffic in Mumbai, IMD has warned.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has upgraded its rain warnings and issued an orange alert for Mumbai and several other cities along the Konkan coast in central Maharashtra over the weekend.

A woman carries a rapped up idol of God Ganesha in a plastic sheet to save from rains. (AP Photo)

As the state gears up for the annual 10-day Ganesh Utsav, Mumbai, Palghar, Thane, Raigad, and Ratnagiri districts are expected to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall on Saturday. While a yellow alert--heavy rain across isolated areas--has been issued for Mumbai and Thane on Sunday, orange alert continues for Palghar, Raigad and Ratnagiri.

“Under the influence of a Well-Marked Low Pressure Area which now lies over central parts of East Madhya Pradesh & neighborhood and east west shear zone along 22 deg N ;west coast and parts of interior Maharashtra is likely to get receive enhanced rainfall activity at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places during next 3-4 days,” the weather bureau said in a statement on Friday.

Owing to heavy rainfall, low lying areas are expected to be flooded and waterlogging may lead to traffic in major cities, IMD has warned. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into along and off the north Maharashtra coast till August 25.

The weather bureau has also warned of short term disruption to municipal services such as water, electricity, etc and local trains services in Mumbai. There is also danger to very old buildings and unmaintained structures, it has said. There’s also a possibility of falling trees and local landslides in elevated hilly areas, the weather department said.

Mumbai has recorded its highest August rainfall over the past nine years and is 46mm short of breaking the maximum monthly rain record for the decade.