Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Relentless monsoon rain continued to batter Mumbai and large parts of Maharashtra on Monday, leaving key highways submerged, crippling traffic movement and prompting the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to upgrade its weather warning to a red alert for Mumbai, Thane and Raigad districts.
advertisement
The Mumbai-Goa Highway witnessed one of the worst impacts, with severe waterlogging near Nagothane bringing traffic to a near standstill.
Long queues of cars, buses and heavy vehicles stretched for kilometres, with many commuters and truck drivers stranded for nearly 24 hours amid incessant rain.
Visuals from the highway showed vehicles crawling through flooded stretches, while several motorists remained stuck as authorities worked to clear the route.
In Mumbai, heavy rain also led to widespread waterlogging in several areas, including stretches between Virar and Vasai, disrupting vehicular movement and inconveniencing commuters.
Although rainfall briefly eased during the day, civic authorities urged residents to remain indoors unless travel was absolutely essential.
The IMD upgraded its warning from an orange to a red alert after observing rapidly deteriorating weather conditions.
It forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall accompanied by gusty winds of 70-80 kmph, with isolated locations likely to witness intense spells of rain over the next few hours.
The weather department warned that the continuing downpour could inundate low-lying areas, trigger flash floods, riverine flooding, landslides and mudslides, besides disrupting road, rail, air and ferry services.
It also cautioned that strong winds could uproot weak trees, damage old structures and affect power and water supply.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) issued a public advisory asking citizens to avoid non-essential travel and stay away from beaches, waterlogged areas, trees, dilapidated buildings, hoardings and electric poles.
Nearly 15,000 personnel from the BMC and various government agencies have been deployed across Mumbai to respond to emergencies, while senior officials are monitoring the situation round the clock.
The civic body also urged residents to rely only on official advisories, avoid spreading rumours and contact its emergency helpline, 1916, in case of any assistance.
Authorities said the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, which had witnessed disruptions earlier due to landslides and heavy rain, has now been cleared for traffic.
At least 16 Mumbai-Pune trains were also cancelled while nine others were diverted after a landslide occurred near Thakurwadi in the Karjat-Lonavala Bhor Ghat section, followed by another between Khandala and Monkey Hill.
However, several roads across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region remained vulnerable due to flooding and waterlogging.
The IMD has advised commuters to check traffic updates before setting out, avoid unnecessary travel, and refrain from taking shelter under trees or unstable structures during thunderstorms.
Residents have also been urged to unplug electrical appliances during lightning activity and move away from water bodies to minimise the risk of accidents.
With more rain forecast over the coming hours, authorities have appealed to people to exercise caution and strictly follow weather advisories as Maharashtra continues to grapple with an intense spell of monsoon weather.
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
