Mumbai continues to be on red alert; heavy rain disrupts travel, shuts offices & educational institutions

Mumbai remained under a red alert on Tuesday as extremely heavy rains pounded the city for a second consecutive day, flooding roads and disrupting travel. Waterlogging on key routes to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport also affected flight operations. IndiGo Airlines issued an advisory urging passengers to plan journeys in advance, warning of delays in both departures and arrivals.

“With Mumbai drenched in heavy showers, several routes to the airport are witnessing waterlogging and sluggish traffic. This has, in turn, led to operational challenges, with delays in both departures and arrivals, and we truly regret the inconvenience this may cause,” the airline posted on X.

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In light of the severe weather, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) announced that all government and semi-government offices in Mumbai would remain closed on August 19. The civic body also appealed to private companies to allow employees to work from home where possible, prioritizing safety amid ongoing waterlogging and heavy downpours.

Schools, colleges shut

In response to the IMD’s red alert forecast, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) announced a holiday for all schools and colleges in Mumbai city and suburbs on Tuesday. The civic body cited predictions of “extremely heavy rainfall” and urged citizens to avoid unnecessary travel.

Heavy showers over the past few days have already left several areas waterlogged, leading to long traffic snarls and disrupted commutes. A red alert — the IMD’s highest weather warning — signals the possibility of more than 204.5 mm of rainfall in 24 hours.

CM reviews situation

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the city recorded 177 mm of rain within six to eight hours on Monday and called the next 10 to 12 hours “critical” for Mumbai. At least seven people have died in rain-related incidents across Maharashtra in the past two days.

Chairing a review meeting at the State Disaster Management Cell, Fadnavis instructed officials to stay on high alert, asked offices to allow early dispersal of employees, and advised citizens not to step out during high tide. Relief centres have been readied with food, water and bedding, while police and disaster teams are monitoring landslide-prone zones and tourist spots.

Fadnavis, after reviewing the situation at the state disaster management control room, said the immediate priority was to protect lives and deliver prompt relief to farmers and villagers, according to a TOI report. He instructed officials to fast-track compensation surveys for damaged homes and crops, and to ready shelters with food, water and essentials.

Over 800 villages in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division have been hit, while Jalgaon has reported severe crop and infrastructure losses. Vidarbha districts including Akola, Chandur Railway, Mehkar and Washim also witnessed heavy showers, though conditions showed signs of improvement by late Monday.

City response and transport updates

Mumbai suburban guardian minister Ashish Shelar said train services were functional though affected by delays, and BEST was directed to deploy extra buses at major terminals to help stranded passengers. Civic staff worked through the day to clear uprooted trees and manage traffic bottlenecks.

Officials confirmed pumping stations were operational, but warned that continued downpours could worsen flooding in low-lying pockets.