Mumbai Reels Under Heavy Rains for Third Day, Low-Lying Areas Flooded

Torrential rains battered Mumbai for the third consecutive day on Monday, inundating low-lying areas, snarling traffic, and disrupting the city’s lifeline—its local train network. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has maintained an orange alert for Mumbai, Thane, and Palghar until August 19, warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall, with gusty winds up to 40-50 kmph, potentially exacerbating urban flooding.

From 9:00 AM Monday, rainfall intensity surged, with Chembur recording 65 mm and Shivaji Nagar 50 mm in just one hour. Over the past 24 hours (ending 8:00 AM), the island city received 54.58 mm, eastern suburbs 72.61 mm, and western suburbs 65.86 mm, with several areas exceeding 100 mm. Low-lying areas like Andheri Subway, Lokhandwala Complex, Sion, Gandhi Market, Kurla, and Dadar faced severe waterlogging, slowing vehicular movement and reducing visibility, according to motorists and civic officials.

Local trains on Central and Harbour lines were delayed by 15-20 minutes due to waterlogged tracks, though Western Railway services ran relatively smoothly. No bus route diversions were reported by the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST), but airlines like IndiGo, Akasa Air, and Air India issued advisories for potential flight delays due to waterlogged airport routes.

Also Read: Mumbai Drenched: Heavy Rains Cause Waterlogging, Traffic Snarls

The IMD attributes the deluge to a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal, predicting heavy rains until August 21. Mumbai’s seven lakes are at 91.18% capacity, with Tulsi Lake overflowing since Saturday. Posts on X, including from @IndiaWeatherMan, warn of a peak tonight with up to 400 mm rainfall, risking severe waterlogging. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has deployed pumping operations and advised residents to avoid non-essential travel.

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