Mumbai: Torrential rain battered Mumbai and its suburbs for the second day on Wednesday, causing massive disruption in flight operations, delaying suburban train services and forcing a large number of people to stay indoors. Mumbai Airport was worst affected in this rain as the main runway of the airport stayed shut for operations most of the day because of a Spice Jet Boeing Aircraft getting stuck in the mud off the runway. Airport authorities said that over 108 flights were cancelled and over 50 incoming flights were diverted to Delhi or Ahmedabad.
However, no deaths or major damage to property were reported. Schools and colleges in Mumbai metropolitan region were ordered closed in view of heavy rains. “Several parts of the metropolis, including South Mumbai, Borivali, Kandivili, Andheri and Bhandup, received heavy rainfall. However, no untoward incident has been reported so far from any part of the city,” an official of the BMC, the city’s civic body, said.
Life comes to a standstill
Due to heavy rainfall across the State since Tuesday evening, the day-to-day life of people was massively disrupted. Many places experienced waterlogging as well as submerged roads. Incidents of crop damage were also reported.
In Mumbai, normal life came to a halt and banks and private as well as public offices were shut. Mumbaikars remembered the heavy rainfall of August 29 which had left the city flooded. Social media too were flooded with rumours of a cyclone in Mumbai adding to the fear.
India Meteorological Department (IMD) has stated that these rumours should not be believed. However, many roads in Mumbai were submerged and flight services were halted due to heavy rainfall.
In Mumbai, 24 people lost their lives due to heavy rainfall including a 13-year-old boy who drowned.
Major dams across the State are 100 per cent filled and villagers living along the river basin have been advised to be alert as the water discharge from dams and heavy rainfall may increase the water levels.
Some places in Konkan witnessed damage to the rice crop. Madhya Maharashtra and Marathwada received good rainfall giving respite to farmers. Wardha, Gondia and other towns in Vidarbha received good rainfall giving a respite to farmers who have been cultivating tur and cotton. In Vidarbha, currently crops like tur, cotton and bajri are cultivated.
Pune city recorded many tree falling cases and traffic congestion which made commuting difficult. Speaking to Sakal Times, DCP (Traffic) Ashok Morale said there was slow moving traffic across the city.
“As Bhide bridge was underwater and could not be used for commuting, alternative routes like JM Road, FC Road, Nal Stop had more traffic. This also made commuting slower. There were traffic jams for about half-an-hour to one-hour at Aundh. In Pimpri-Chinchwad there was some traffic congestion,” said Morale.
He added that seven to eight buses broke down in the city due to heavy rains. Also, tree felling incidents at eight places in the city were reported.
The Fire Brigade Department confirmed that 20 calls were reported with the department of tree felling.
A source at the department noted that on Tuesday and Wednesday, around 40 cases of trees falling were reported due to heavy rainfall. “On Wednesday, tree falling cases were reported at Raj Bhavan Road in Aundh, Sahakarnagar, Katraj, Pashan-Baner Road, Erandwane, Koregaon Park, Tingrenagar and Bhavani Peth. There were no water logging cases reported at the department,” said the source.
