Mumbai rain: 8 trains cancelled, several diverted amid heavy rainfall across city

Eight trains have been cancelled and several others diverted due to heavy rainfall and waterlogging in parts of Mumbai, the Central Railway said on Tuesday. Suburban train services were resumed late Sunday evening as rain took a short break in Mumbai and adjoining Thane, Palghar and Raigad districts. While IMD forecast light to moderate rain till Friday in the city, Monday saw barely a few showers. However, a holiday was declared for educational institutions and offices at several places across Maharashtra in the wake of incessant rainfall since Saturday.

"Due to heavy rainfall and waterlogging on Mumbai Division of Central Railway, 22108 Latur-Mumbai Express JCO, 22107 Mumbai-Latur Express JCO, 12701 Mumbai-Hyderabad Hussain Sagar Express JCO, 12137 Mumbai-Firozpur Punjab Mail JCO, 12322 Mumbai-Howrah Mail via Chheoki JCO, 22885 LTT-Tata Nagar Antyodaya Express JCO, 82356 Mumbai-Patna Suvida Express JCO and 11041 Mumbai-Chennai Express JCO," Sunil Udasi, Chief Public Relations Officer, Central Railway said.

Sunil Udasi, Chief Public Relations Officer, Central Railway: Due to heavy rainfall and waterlogging on Mumbai Division of Central Railway, following trains are cancelled: pic.twitter.com/eVyzAny171

— ANI (@ANI) August 6, 2019

Meanwhile authorities have been directed to keep all schools and colleges shut in Sangli, Satara and Kolhapur districts following the flood-like situation in the region. Educational institutes in 5 Tehsil's of Pune and 5 Tehsil's of Raigad districts will remain closed.

READ | Heavy rain wreaks havoc across Maharashtra, educational institutions, offices shut amid IMD alert

Earlier, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a fresh warning, predicting light to moderate rains in Mumbai throughout the week. Satellite and radar images indicated active rainfall over South Konkan and further down. "Light to moderate rain very likely in Mumbai, Heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places in Thane, Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Nashik, and Pune", the weatherman said.

Strong winds, speed reaching 40-50 kmph, are also likely over the north, central and southwest Arabian Sea; central, southeast and adjoining the southwest Bay of Bengal and Andaman sea and along and off Gujarat-Maharashtra-Goa-Kerala-Karnataka coasts and West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Tamilnadu coast and Lakshadweep area, it added.

In the wake of this heavy rain alert, the fishermen are also advised not to venture into the sea in these regions. Rain or thunderstorms are also predicted at most places over Konkan, Madhya Maharashtra, at several places over Vidarbha and at a few places over Marathwada. The maximum and minimum temperatures in Mumbai are likely to hover at 29.1 degree Celsius and 24.0 degree Celsius respectively.

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Rains were relentless in several parts across Maharashtra, resulting in massive waterlogging and flood-like situation in some regions. There are also reports that the city went past 78 per cent of the average August rainfall in the last five days with Santacruz recording nearly 500 mm till Tuesday.