Heavy rains paralyse Mumbai yet again

Mumbai airport has reopened after it was shut down for a couple of hours because of heavy rain on Tuesday.

Many areas in Mumbai continue to be flooded as torrential rain paralysed the nation's commercial capital. The roads in Juhu, arguably the city's wealthiest area, were innundated with more than three feet of water.

Duty officer Nelhekar of the Indian Meteorological Department, Pune, told rediff.com that Mumbai received 679 mm of rain by noon Tuesday, 34 mm above average. The city is expected to receive more rain in the next couple of days as there is a depression over Orissa. This will lead to heavy rainfall in the Konkan, Goa and Mumbai in the next 48 hours.

But the figures of the last 24 hours reveal that the total rainfall in the city is racing far above normal. In the last 24 hours Colaba in south Mumbai recorded 121.9 mm of rain while Santacruz in suburban Mumbai received 152 mm of rain. In comparison, in just three hours on Tuesday morning -- between 8.30 am and 11.30 am -- Colaba received 101.3 mm of rain while Santacruz received 103.6 mm of rain.

Services on the city's lifeline, the Central and Western Railway, were badly affected by the rain for most of Tuesday. By 1600 hours, both lines had resumed services.

As water levels rose alarmingly -- provoking nightmarish visions of July 26, 2005 -- thousands of residents in many areas were stranded in their homes, trapped in the darkness (electricity was cut off in several suburbs because of the waterlogging) and uncertainty.

Mumbai has experienced relentless rainfall since Saturday morning.

Many offices in the city reported scant attendance as employees were unable to find transport to ferry them to work. Shops and malls in the city were shut shortly after noon for want of staff and employees.

The state government's disaster management cell has issued an alert for the next 24 hours. Police Commissioner A N Roy urged Mumbaikars not to travel unless it is absolutely necessary.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation declared a holiday for schools and colleges in Mumbai, a decision that came after thousands of the city's children and teenagers had already trudged in the pouring rain and slush on Tuesday morning to their schools and colleges.

Five deaths have been reported in and around Mumbai, because of the rain.

The Mumbai Pune Expressway was shut down by a huge landslide on Monday evening. Traffic was diverted via Lonavala last night. The expressway was partially functional on Tuesday morning though traffic -- which usually moves at great speeds -- had slowed down considerably as the debris was cleared.

UNI adds:

In view of the forecast for heavy to very heavy rains for the next 48 hours, the people of Mumbai are adivsed not to venture out unless it is very important, state's secretary, relief and rehabilitation K S Vstsa said on Tuesday.

He also advised car owners to keep the windows rolled down always.

He gave instructions to the state government employees to stay back in the office till the local train services resumed completely.

He said the government would take care for their food and other needs during this period.

During the floods last year, 16 people lost their lives inside their cars in different incidents as their car doors were jammed due to the automatic locking system.