Heavy rains batter Mumbai; rail, air services adversely affected

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 20 (ANI): Heavy rainfall, accompanied by thunder and lightning, in Mumbai, which has led to water-logging in many areas, has stalled the lives of its residents in more than one way.

The Western Railways has cancelled five trains till now. As many as six trains were cancelled and two others were diverted on the Central Railways till 6 a.m. today.

The heavy rains have affected the airlines too. Only the runway No. 14 and 32 of the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport are operational for now. All the flights bound for Mumbai have been diverted to Goa, Bengaluru, Delhi and Hyderabad.

A total of 56 flights coming to Mumbai have been diverted.

The airport authorities are also carrying operations to taking out the aircraft that was stuck in mud yesterday during landing.

The Mumbai University has instructed all the colleges under its jurisdiction to remain closed as per the Education Minister's orders due to an expected heavy downpour.

Even the Mumbai Dabbawalas will not be working today in the wake of the floods.

"We won't be working today. No Dabba delivery will be done today by Mumbai Dabbawalas due to rains," said the spokesperson of Mumbai Dabbawala Association, Subhash Talekar.

Earlier, the Meteorological Department (MeT) has alerted that high tide is expected today afternoon at 12.03 p.m. of 4.5 mm and had also warned for heavy rainfall in the next 24 hours.

Mumbai's lifeline local trains services were delayed for 15-20 minutes due to the heavy downpour.

Last evening, the flight operations at the Mumbai Airport were suspended for nearly half an hour, due to poor visibility and water-logging on the runway.

Reportedly, Mumbai recorded its second highest rain in September in a span of 12 hours, yesterday.

On August 29, Mumbai recorded 297.6 mm rain in nine hours (8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.), higher than any 24-hour rain in August in a decade which had brought the city to a halt, as commuters waded through chest-deep waters. (ANI)