 "51 flights cancelled, 27 diverted at Mumbai airport; train services hit too")
At least 27 flights were diverted and 51 services were cancelled at the Mumbai airport on Monday after heavy rain battered the city, sources said.
The rain water flooded the roads and railway lines, disrupting train services and forcing closure of school and colleges.
Mumbai city recorded 101.8 mm of rainfall in nine hours on Monday, nearly seven times more than its suburbs in the same period, the weather office said.
The Santacruz weather station recorded 27 centimeters (10.6 inches) of precipitation in the 24-hour period that ended at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, the heaviest rainfall for a single day in July since 2019, according to the India Meteorological Department.
"Heavy rain and low visibility led to the suspension of runway operations from 2:22 AM to 3:40 AM on Monday," a source said, adding that 27 flights were diverted to cities such as Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, and Indore.
"Currently, priority is being given to arrivals, delaying departures, and consequential changes are being made to accommodate diverted flights," another source said.
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Presently, the Mumbai airport handles about 870 daily scheduled flights, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.
Flightaware.com stated that a total of 306 flights (departures plus arrivals) were delayed at the Mumbai airport on Tuesday. About 42 IndiGo flights, six Air India flights, two Alliance Air flights, and one Qatar Airways flight were cancelled at the Mumbai airport until 11 AM on Monday, sources mentioned.
The Qatar Airways flight's departure was cancelled as the crew had exceeded their FDTL (flight duty time limitations), they added.
Adani Group-led Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL), which runs the Mumbai airport, said that it has arranged additional seats and water for passengers affected due to "inclement weather". The airport has also deployed airport personnel across the terminals to support passengers and provide them with necessary assistance, it added.
"We request passengers to connect with their respective airlines and check the schedule before arrival at the Airport. The safety and well-being of our passengers, employees, and partners remains our top priority," it stated.
"There is heavy traffic on the roads and rail lines too have been affected," Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said on X.
Floods in UP
Release of water from dams in Uttarakhand and widespread rainfall in river catchment areas caused severe flooding in several districts in the Terai region and the plains of Uttar Pradesh, an official report said on Monday.
Many villages in Pilibhit, Lakhimpur, Kushinagar, Balrampur, Shravasti and Gond districts have been affected by floods. Separate cases of lightning strikes killed 12 people in Bihar, a state government official said.
(With agency inputs)