Mumbaikars woke up to overcast skies and strong winds on Tuesday, with no significant rainfall in the morning offering temporary relief after two days of intense downpours that crippled normal life. While the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has downgraded its weather warning from a red alert to an orange alert, it has warned that heavy to very heavy rainfall accompanied by gusty winds of up to 70 kmph is likely to continue through the day.
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Orange alert remains, schools and colleges shut
The IMD has forecast intermittent spells of rain across Mumbai and its suburbs, with isolated areas likely to receive heavy to very heavy showers. The orange alert, the third-highest in the four-tier warning system, warns of significant disruptions, transport delays and possible power outages.
As a precaution, all government, municipal and private schools and colleges in Mumbai have been closed for Tuesday. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel, stay away from waterlogged areas, trees, electric poles and dilapidated structures, and rely only on official advisories. The civic body has also advised people to contact its emergency helpline if assistance is required.
According to the BMC, the island city recorded 46 mm of rainfall in the 24 hours ending at 8 am on Tuesday, while the eastern and western suburbs received 77 mm and 78 mm, respectively. Another high tide of 3.93 metres is expected at 4.34 pm.
Flights, trains disrupted; commuters advised to check status
The spell of heavy rain has continued to affect air and rail services across Mumbai.
Airlines, including IndiGo, have advised passengers to check their flight status before leaving for the airport and allow extra travel time due to slow-moving traffic and weather-related disruptions.
Rail services also remain affected. Waterlogging on the Western Railway network led to the cancellation of several MEMU services, while long-distance trains, including services connecting Mumbai with Rajasthan and Gujarat, were cancelled, diverted or rescheduled.
Suburban train services have improved after Monday's disruption. Local trains on the Virar-Vasai section resumed early Tuesday, though Western Railway services continued to run around 20-25 minutes behind schedule and Central Railway services were delayed by 10-15 minutes. Metro services and BEST buses were operating normally.
Meanwhile, restoration work is underway at multiple locations in the Karjat-Lonavala ghat section after landslides disrupted Central Railway services. Traffic on the Mumbai-bound carriageway of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway's Missing Link bypass also resumed late Monday after an 18-hour closure caused by a landslide near Tunnel 2.
Heavy rain leaves trail of destruction across Maharashtra
The heavy rainfall has caused widespread damage across Maharashtra over the past two days.
In Pune district, four people, including three members of a family, were killed in separate rain-related incidents, while more than 500 people were rescued or shifted to safer locations. Authorities reported landslides at 22 locations, with Lonavala recording an exceptional 670 mm of rainfall in 24 hours.
In Mumbai, six people died after a multi-storey structure collapsed onto adjoining shanties in Mankhurd amid relentless rain, triggering a major rescue operation.
Separately, a 12-year-old boy died after allegedly falling into an elevator shaft in a residential building in Nehru Nagar while playing hide-and-seek. Residents alleged the lift had been malfunctioning for several months, though the cause of the incident is under investigation.
Authorities have urged citizens to remain vigilant as more heavy rain is expected through the day, particularly in low-lying and flood-prone areas.
