Monsoon fury: Heavy rain hits Maharashtra, 'Red Alert' in four districts
Mumbai, July 7
Heavy torrential rains continue to batter several parts of Maharashtra. The India Meteorological Department has issued a 'Red Alert' for Tuesday in the Nashik Ghat areas, Pune Ghat areas, Palghar, and Raigad districts. An 'Orange Alert' has been sounded for Mumbai, Thane, Ratnagiri, Nashik, Satara Ghat areas, Akola, and Amravati districts.
Following the Orange and Red Alerts issued by the weather department, district administrations have declared a holiday for schools and colleges today.
Educational institutions will remain closed in Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri, Navi Mumbai, Kalyan-Dombivli, Bhiwandi, Nashik, and rural parts of Pune. The decision was taken as a precautionary measure by the district authorities, keeping in view the continuous rainfall over the last three days and the high risk of waterlogging.
After a relentless downpour, the heavy spells of rain in Mumbai have briefly paused. However, the IMD has maintained an 'Orange Alert' for the city today, predicting heavy rain accompanied by gusty winds. Citizens have been urged to remain cautious and alert. Although the rain has temporarily stopped, heavy cloud cover persists over the city.
The Mithi River is reportedly flowing at its full capacity. Earlier, the heavy rainfall severely disrupted suburban train services across all three local railway lines.
On Western Railway, the local train services are currently running 15 to 20 minutes late. While local services between Vasai and Virar-which were severely disrupted yesterday-have been restored, waterlogging on the tracks in the Vasai-Virar section is still causing issues. Consequently, several trains have been cancelled. There are currently no updates regarding the local train services between Dahanu and Virar.
On Central Railway, suburban train services are running 15 to 20 minutes behind schedule. On Harbour Line trains on the Harbour route are operating with a delay of 10 to 15 minutes.
Palghar district was severely battered by heavy downpours yesterday. Continuous cloudburst-like rain in Vasai-Virar, Saphale, Kelve, Palghar, Boisar, Manor, and Wada caused rivers and streams to overflow. The Tansa River flowing over Khanivde reached the danger mark, forcing floodwaters into riverside villages and homes, resulting in extensive damage to essential commodities. Similarly, the Vaitarna River near Manor witnessed severe flooding, submerging several roads and entering nearby villages. Residential homes in the Wada area were also flooded. This intense rainfall crippled both rail and road transportation.
Traffic on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad National Highway came to a standstill near Dhekale, as massive mudslides and rainwater cascading down the hills turned the highway into a river. Overall, daily life in Palghar district has been completely derailed. The heavy rainfall across the state shows no signs of slowing down.
Following a review meeting, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has warned that there is a threat of a cloudburst in Nashik today. When asked about implementing 'Work From Home' directives given the weather severity, CM Fadnavis stated, "On humanitarian grounds, when a weather alert is issued, it is expected that everyone responds to it responsibly."
He clarified that holidays have already been declared for all non-essential services. He strictly warned that action would be taken against offices and establishments found forcing employees to report to work despite the official holidays and safety warnings.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Finally, a sensible move by the CM! Declaring holidays and threatening action against offices forcing employees to work is exactly what we need. In India we always prioritise work over safety. Good job Fadnavis ji. Now let's hope the rain gods show some mercy 🤞
I lived in Mumbai for 5 years and every monsoon was like this. The Mithi River overflowing is nothing new. The real problem is unchecked construction along riverbanks and poor urban planning. The BMC needs a long-term plan, not just reactive measures. Hope everyone in Palghar and the ghat areas stays safe.
This is scary. My family is in Vasai and they said water entered their ground floor last night. They had to shift everything upstairs. The local trains being cancelled means people are stranded. The government should set up more relief camps and helplines. And please, stay home if you don't have to go out! 🌧️
One positive thing: the authorities are actually proactive this time. Red alerts, holiday declarations, and the CM warning about cloudbursts. Normally we just wait for disaster to happen. But honestly, how many years have we been hearing about drainage improvements? Time for real action, not just warnings.
The Western and Central Railway delays are a nightmare for daily commuters. I used to take the train from Virar to Churchgate and it was always chaos in monsoon. Kudos to the staff for restoring services so quickly, but the infrastructure is clearly overwhelmed. Climate change is making this worse every year.
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