Saturday, March 29, 2025
Mumbai, August 18, 2025 – Relentless rains over the past 72 hours have thrown life out of gear across Mumbai and large parts of Maharashtra. On Monday, the city came to a near standstill as heavy downpour flooded major roads, triggered massive traffic jams, and forced schools and colleges to shut down.
At Vile Parle, traffic on the Western Express Highway crawled at a snail’s pace. The Gandhi Market area in Sion was submerged under several feet of water, leaving vehicles stranded. Similar scenes were reported from Andheri to Borivali and Dadar to Churchgate.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) ordered schools and colleges closed after noon, issued a helpline (1916), and asked citizens to step out only if necessary. Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani confirmed that BMC teams are on high alert.
Between 8:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., the Tata Power Chamber recorded 91.5 mm of rain, followed by Vikhroli (78.5 mm), Juhu (60 mm), Sion (58.5 mm), Bandra (50 mm), Santacruz (47.2 mm), and Colaba (29 mm).
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) warned of heavy to very heavy rainfall in Mumbai, Thane, and the Konkan-Ghat region over the next two days, placing these areas under a Red Alert. A sudden flood warning has also been issued for Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, and Goa.
In the past 24 hours, Ratnagiri recorded 109 mm, Santacruz 71 mm, and Panaji 69 mm of rainfall. Winds up to 50–60 kmph are expected in coastal areas.
Flood-like conditions were reported in Mukhed taluka (Nanded district), where villages including Bhingoli, Bhendegaon, and Hasanl faced inundation. Houses and standing crops were destroyed, prompting deployment of NDRF teams for rescue.
In Buldhana district, rivers crossed danger levels, flooding bridges and cutting off traffic on the Nagpur–Mumbai highway. Major crops like cotton, tur, maize, and fodder have been devastated.
Farmers in Ambad taluka (Jalna district) reported complete crop loss, demanding immediate compensation. Local residents said they had not witnessed such torrential rain in decades.
The IMD urged citizens to avoid low-lying areas and follow instructions from local authorities. With rainfall expected to continue for the next 24 hours, rescue and relief operations have been intensified across the state.
