Mumbai rains: 10 things to know as City of Dreams faces one of the worst nightmares

It is a deluge like situation yet again in Mumbai as non-stop rain has completely thrown life out of gear in the metropolis. According to the met department, about four inches of rain has been recorded in just a few hours and heavy rain is forecast for the next 48 hours.  

The Mumbai Police has urged people to abandon their cars if the water was tyre-high while the Maharashtra government and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) have sounded a high alert. 

Here are 10 important things to know as Mumbai reels:

1.    Heavy rains in next 48 hours:  India Meteorological Department has predicted even more heavy rainfall hence Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has issued an advisory asking citizens to stay home and not venture out unless absolutely necessary. 

2. Roads to avoid: The Mumbai Police has diverted traffic at several places and several flyovers and roads have been shut including Sion flyover, Milan and Andheri subway. Traffic on Eastern Expressway, Santacruz-Chembur link, Western Expressway, SV Road between Bandra to Santacruz and DN Nagar, and BMW junction stretch between Worli to Haji Ali are almost shut.

3. Bandra-Worli sea link: Authorities have decided to close Bandra-Worli sea link.

4. All three suburban railway networks, Central, Harbour and Western lines are suspended. Tracks at several places, including Parel, Sion and Kurla are submerged. Central railway authorities have said trains are suspended on the main line between Parel and Kurla and on the Harbour line between Vadala Road and Kurla. On the Western line, trains were terminated at Andheri with services towards the city aborted in the afternoon.

5. Flights delayed, diverted: Air traffic too has been affected by strong bursts of wind.

6. Water logging: Spots prone to floodings, such as Dadar, Hindmata, Parel, King Circle, Chembur, Sion, and Andheri have suffered massive waterlogging prompting BMC to press 217 dewatering pumps into service.

7. Mumbai Police provided a WhatsApp number for citizens - 8454999999

8. Three teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are on alert. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis visited the state Disaster Management Control room to monitor the situation.

9. There was a high tide at 4:40 pm due to which the city police urged people to avoid beaches and promenades. 

10. Helpline numbers: WhatsApp for traffic updates: 8454999999

Central Railway control room: 022-22620173

Western Railway control room: 022-23094064

BMC helpline: 1916