Torrential rains battered Mumbai, swelling the Mithi River and forcing the evacuation of nearly 350 residents from Kurla’s Kranti Nagar to safer locations, the Maharashtra Chief Minister’s Office announced. The city recorded over 200 mm of rainfall in just six hours, with suburbs seeing even heavier downpours.

The Mithi River, a critical waterway flowing through densely populated areas like Kurla, Saki Naka, Andheri, and BKC before emptying into the Arabian Sea at Mahim, rose to 3.9 meters early Tuesday, nearing its danger mark of 4.2 meters. By noon, the level receded slightly to 3.7 meters, but flooding persisted in low-lying areas, exacerbated by high tides and overflowing holding ponds near Vihar, Tulsi, and Powai lakes.

Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, after reviewing the crisis, noted that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) deployed 525 pumps, 10 mini pumping stations, and six main stations to drain floodwater. “The BMC is working tirelessly to manage the Mithi River’s flow,” Shinde said, adding that the civic body relocated around 300 people as a precaution.

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Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani are closely monitoring the situation, with disaster management teams on high alert. Deputy CM Ajit Pawar reported that 10 lakh hectares of agricultural land across Maharashtra have been submerged, with damage assessments pending.

Authorities urged residents near the river to stay vigilant and avoid flooded zones as the BMC continues efforts to mitigate the crisis.

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