Mumbai rains latest: Heavy showers predicted, several flights cancelled

After a day of heavy showers in Maharashtra that disrupted the regular lives of people, the local train services between Kalyan to CSMT have resumed partially. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast "heavy to very heavy rains" in the entire coastal Konkan region of Maharashtra, including Mumbai, on Wednesday.

Torrential rains lashed Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, Raigad and other parts of Maharashtra for the fourth consecutive day on Tuesday, severely affecting normal life and paralysing the lifelines -- local train and bus services -- in the state capital and leading the state government and civic authorities to sound a high alert.

 

Here are top 10 developments:

 

1. Heavy to heavy rains predicted: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast "heavy to very heavy rains" in entire coastal Konkan region of Maharashtra, including Mumbai.

 

Similar wet conditions are likely to prevail in the Konkan districts of Palghar, Thane, Mumbai, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg till Saturday. Besides Konkan, heavy rains were expected in central Maharashtra and Marathwada region, in neighbouring states of Goa and Gujarat's Kutchh and Saurashtra regions, starting from Wednesday and continuing till Sunday

 

2. a. Airlines issue advisory to passengers: Inclement weather resulted in JetAirways flights from Mumbai being delayed by up to 30/40 minutes. Here's a list of flights that have been cancelled.

 

Spicejet: Passengers are requested to cross check their flight status before leaving for the airport. Due to poor visibility at Porbandar, all departures/arrivals and their consequential flights may get affected.

 

b. Airlines waive off cancellation charges: In view of inclement weather in Mumbai, some airlines have waived off cancellation charges. 

 

Here's what Air India Tweeted: In view of inclement weather due Mumbai rains, all applicable penalties on re-issuance/date change/no-show/cancellation & refund charges stands waived of on all tkts issued on/before 29/8/2017 for travel to/from Mumbai has now been extended till 31st August 2017.

 

Indigo: Passengers travelling to & fro BOM today can get their booking rescheduled/cancelled without any change/cancellation fees. We're extending the waiver for flights on the August 30.

 

Jet Airways also extended waiver on penalties arising out of date/flight change, refund and no-show on all the confirmed tickets issued for travel on August 29 and August 30 for flights into and out of Mumbai.






3. Local train services resume: The local train services between Kalyan to CSMT have resumed, but with a slow speed, confirmed the Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of the Central Railways (CR) on Wednesday. CR CPRO Sunil Udasi has said that the tracks are still water-logged between the Kurla and the Sion stations as the Mithi river water is overflowing. Udasi also said that the Central Railways is trying its best to manage the situation and hopefully all services would be resuming soon. Mumbai's suburban train network, which carries over 65 lakh passengers a day, is the lifeline of the financial capital.

 

4. Indian Navy to the rescue: Navy helicopters are on standby in view of heavy rains in Mumbai and its adjoining areas. Flood rescue teams and divers are also ready for deployment. The Navy has also opened community kitchens and food counters at various locations in the megapolis to provide relief to commuters stranded in torrential rainfall. The Western Naval Command has made arrangements to provide shelter to Mumbaikars who were left stranded after heavy rains lashed the metropolis yesterday. "WNC has made arrangements to provide shelter to stranded Mumbaikars at Colaba, Worli and Ghatkopar," the spokesperson said.

 

5. House collapse kills 4: Four persons, including two minors, were today killed in two house collapse incidents in suburban Vikroli in the wake of torrential rains that lashed the megapolis. In the first incident in the hilly Suryanagar area, a house at a higher level collapsed on one below, trapping a one-and-a-half-year-old infant, Nikhil, 40-year-old Suresh Arjun Prasad Mourya and Kiran Baby Pal (25). At Varshanagar hill area of Vikroli Parksite, a protective wall collapsed on a house, killing two-year-old Kalyani Jangam on the spot, he said. Her parents Gopal Jangam (36) and Chhaya Jangam (30) suffered injuries.

 

6. Spirit of Mumbai: Amidst all chaos, Mumbaikars distributed biscuits, tea to stranded commuters. Anand Mahindra confirmed the same in a tweeted that read: A friend stuck in a car to the airport for 5 hours told me that slum-dwellers came out to serve stranded people tea & biscuits.

7. Bollywood celebs extend help: Celebrities like Madhuri Dixit, Priyanka Chopra, Sonakshi Sinha, and Farhan Akhtar extended their support and spread awareness by asking people to stay safe. The celebrities took to Twitter on Tuesday to share their concern. "BMC helpline 1916. Police helpline 100. Home is the safest for most. Find shelter and give shelter. Be safe Mumbai," Priyanka tweeted. Singer-composer Vishal Dadlani requested the city to be well prepared. "Mumbai, if you're getting into a car, make sure you have water, food and something to break windows with, if needed. Stay safe, help others," he said.

 

8. a. Mumbai's Dabbawalas won't operate today: In a heroic act, Mumbai's famous dabbawalas got off their bikes and walked to delivers tiffins on Tuesday. Several dabbawalas waded through waterlogged streets of Mumbai after heavy rainfall and delivered tiffins. However, today they will not be operating. 

 

"Dabbawalas won't operate today as they were not able to collect back lunch boxes which they delivered yesterday," Subhash Talekar, spokesperson told ANI.

 

b. School and colleges still shut: Educational institutes have been asked to remain shut by authorities. The city and its suburbs virtually have a public holiday today with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis advising people to stay back home unless there is an emergency.

 

10. Mumbai police issues advisories: 

 

* If your car is out of fuel/ stranded #Diall100 or 8454999999 or tweet us for free towing till the nearest fuel pump or garage.

* Police Officers and men are present on road and will be there throughout. Ask them for any assistance you need.