Rains continued to batter the city for a second day on Wednesday, causing delays in suburban train services and disrupting flight operations. Coupled with high tide of 4.54 m on Wednesday afternoon, the rains resulted in water-logging in some parts of the city, which began to recede after the high-tide.
Between 8.30 am and 8.30 pm on Wednesday, the Colaba observatory recorded 75.4mm rains, while the Santacruz observatory recorded 61.0 mm. It was the highest rainfall the city has received in 24 hours in September in over a decade.
"Mumbai is likely to receive moderate and intermittent rains in isolated areas on Thursday. There are warnings for Konkan as well as Central Maharashtra for heavy rainfall on Thursday," said KS Hosalikar, deputy director general western region, India Meteorological Department (IMD).
With rumours circulating on social media of a possible cyclone hitting the city and subsequent power cuts and road closures, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had to clarify that the messages were a hoax. Civic chief Ajoy Mehta has asked the Mumbai Police to book the culprits under the Disaster Management Act 2005 for circulating fake messages to spread fear.
Numbers in mm
Source: ANI
The heavy rains since Tuesday have claimed at least six lives in parts of the state. Arjun Chauhan, 13, was swept away into an open drain in Cuffe Parade while playing and drowned. Vasai residents Akash Rai (23) and Rajesh Bhosle drowned after they fell into a lake at Manickpur in Vasai; Sandesh Jadhav drowned in a reservoir in Nallasopara. Laxman Naik drowned at Alibaug and an unidentified person's body was found at Kuppwade in Sidhudurg District. Vasai-resident, Prashant Shetty, was electrocuted near his residence.
Water-logging was seen at Pannalal compound, Tank Road junction and Johnson & Johnson Co in Mulund, at Kohinoor City Mall in Kurla, Shell Colony in Chembur, near National College in Bandra, King's Circle, GTB Nagar, Andheri Subway, Milan Subway, Air India Colony in Santacruz, and in Dahisar. The civic chief visited the pumping stations at Haji Ali and Vile Parle to take stock of measures.
As many motorists avoided going out on Wednesday morning, apart from slow moving traffic in some areas due to water-logging, there was no major traffic congestion reported on arterial roads. Aarey Colony Bridge was shut owing to its dilapidated state due to heavy rains, and traffic was diverted to Road no 3. Traffic from the water-logged SV Road was diverted through Linking Road.
Traffic was obstructed on the north-bound arm of Centaur Bridge at Vile Parle on the Western Express Highway due to breakdown of a car, and traffic was slow in both directions at Hindmata and Parel TT, due to water logging.
Trains on both Central and Western Railways were less crowded than usual. While the CR operates 1660 services, it operated 330 less on Wednesday. More than 200 services on the fast-line and slow-line were delayed by 15-30 minutes. It cancelled six trains to and from Pune and Manmad for Wednesday. The same trains will remain cancelled for Thursday.
On the Western Railway, there was water logging between Bandra and Mahim stations, and at Nallasopara and Virar. WR officials said that punctuality was around 88 percent and that they cancelled over 130 services out of 1306 daily services.
As a precautionary measure on Tuesday night, BMC evacuated around 80 to 100 residents of Krantinagar slums near the airport after the level of the Mithi River rose. They were shifted to a civic school in Bail Bazar area, and returned to their home on Wednesday morning.
'Big-hearted' CJ
Manjula Chellur, Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court, offered relief to advocates and their staff. Around 12.15 pm, she told lawyers that if they left early, she would not dismiss their cases for non-prosecution.
"I want discipline in my court, but you all know I have a big heart," she quipped before the bench rose. The registry, though, did not issue any circular for its staff.
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