Heavy rains lash Mumbai; traffic snarls across city
What's the story
Severe waterlogging was witnessed in several parts of Mumbai as heavy rains lashed the city on Wednesday. On Tuesday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert predicting very heavy showers till Saturday. The Powai lake started overflowing Tuesday evening due even as Dadar and Sion areas recorded waterlogging. Road and rail traffic has been adversely hit in the financial capital.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Every year with the onset of monsoon, Mumbai and its neighboring areas face the wrath of the rain gods. The story is the same every year with streets getting waterlogged, and road and rail transport getting affected. The low-lying areas are the worst hit. Mumbaikars are at the mercy of the civic authorities to deal with this annual crisis ailing the city.
Trains
Landslide in Ghatkopar, house demolished
A landslide occurred in Ghatkopar's Panchsheel Nagar demolishing a house on Tuesday. Several rivers in the state have reached the warning level with the Kundalika river crossing the warning level and the water level of Amba, Savitri, Patalganga, Ulhas, and Garhi rivers slightly below. Meanwhile, the Central railway informed that some trains on the main and harbor line are running late.
Twitter Post
Waterlogging in Chembur area
#WATCH | Heavy waterlogging in Chembur area of Mumbai as rains lash the city pic.twitter.com/e3SLqWRe6O
— ANI (@ANI) July 6, 2022
Highways
Waist-deep water in several areas, subways waterlogged
Mumbai's Sion, Wadala, Kings Circle, Bhandup, Parel, Kurla, and Nehru Nagar were inundated with waist-deep water, several subways were waterlogged, hampering east-west traffic movement. There was a major traffic snarl on the two highways and on major roads. The IMD has issued a red alert for Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Kolhapur, and Satara and an orange alert for Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, and Pune till Friday.
Low-lying areas
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde put all districts on alert
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has put all districts on high alert. He visited the Disaster Management Centre and directed officials to make all arrangements including shifting of people living in vulnerable areas as incessant rains continued. He said that nearly 3,500 people have been evacuated in low-lying areas of the state as a precautionary measure because of the continuing heavy rains.
Coastal regions
IMD predicts heavy showers in entire west coast
The IMD has predicted heavy to very heavy rains on the entire west coast from Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, and Kerala. Isolated extremely heavy rains for the coastal regions, central and western Maharashtra have also been predicted. Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis said the government has reviewed the situation. The administration has been put on a high alert. to tackle any situation.
Twitter Post
Visuals from Sion area
Maharashtra | As heavy rainfall lashes city with IMD issuing an orange alert, severe waterlogging recorded in several parts of Mumbai. Visuals from the Sion area pic.twitter.com/52zpLcpJ78
— ANI (@ANI) July 6, 2022
Disaster response
NDRF, SDRF teams stationed to tackle untoward situation
Two teams each of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in Mumbai, Thane, and Kolhapur, and one each in Palghar, Raigad, and Ratnagiri. One team each of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are already placed in Nanded and Gadchiroli since Tuesday evening. Several more NDRF and SDRF teams are in place in Mumbai, Pune, Dhule, and Nagpur.