Authorities urge caution as flooding and waterlogging threaten multiple districts
Mumbai/Palghar: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday issued red and orange alerts for heavy rainfall across several districts of Maharashtra, including Mumbai, as incessant rains continue for the third consecutive day.
A red alert has been declared for Palghar, Mumbai City, Mumbai Suburban, Thane, Raigad, Pune, and Nashik, warning of extremely heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds. Orange alerts are in place for Nandurbar, Jalgaon, Bhandara, Ratnagiri, Satara, and Sindhudurg, while 21 other districts, including Nagpur, Aurangabad, and Kolhapur, remain under yellow alert, the second level of IMD’s four-tier warning system.
Mumbai reels under relentless rain
Since Saturday night, Mumbai has been witnessing continuous heavy rainfall. On Sunday, intermittent spells saw the city and suburbs recording more than 50 mm of rainfall between 8 am and 1 pm, according to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The average rainfall in the city was 47.47 mm, while western and eastern suburbs recorded 53.61 mm and 37.92 mm, respectively.
Thane and Palghar districts near Mumbai also experienced heavy rainfall in the past 24 hours. In Bhiwandi taluka (Thane), 262 people from 71 families were rescued due to waterlogging and flooding.
Palghar on high alert
The IMD issued a red alert for Palghar, warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall with the possibility of extremely heavy downpours at isolated locations. In response, district collector Manik Gursal declared a holiday for all government and private schools, including Anganwadis, Zilla Parishad schools, municipal schools, and aided institutions on Monday.
Authorities have asked residents to avoid unnecessary travel, remain alert, and follow local advisories. Teachers and staff are instructed to cooperate with emergency relief operations if needed.
Forecast for Maharashtra
The IMD predicts that heavy rainfall will continue across isolated regions in all districts until October 3. Districts such as Parbhani, Hingoli, Nanded, Latur, and the ghats of Kolhapur are expected to experience heavy rain with thunderstorms and gusty winds of up to 40 kmph until Friday.
Rain-related casualties and relief operations
The ongoing rains have claimed five lives in the past 24 hours: two in Ahilyanagar, and one each in Nashik, Jalna, and Yavatmal. The worst-hit regions include Mumbai, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, Konkan, parts of North and Western Maharashtra, Marathwada, and Vidarbha.
Over 11,000 people have been evacuated to safer locations, including 7,200 from flood-affected Marathwada. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis reviewed relief and rescue operations in Marathwada and Solapur, instructing district authorities to provide essential aid including food and shelter to affected residents.
Authorities have urged vigilance as the state braces for continued rainfall in the coming days.