Over 40 people have been killed in rain-related incidents in Maharashtra with over 28 deaths being reported from Mumbai alone as incessant rains lashed several parts of the state for five consecutive days.
The rainfall in the 24-hour period before 8.30 am Tuesday was the highest since the July 26, 2005 deluge in Mumbai.
The rainfall during the 24-hour period was 375.2 mm, according to data from the Santa Cruz-based Mumbai Regional Centre of the IMD.
Twenty-three people lost their lives after a wall collapsed on hutments in Pimpripada area of Malad East due to heavy rainfall.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed grief over the incident and announced an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the kin of the deceased.
At least three people were killed in another wall collapse in Kalyan near Mumbai.
Two men drowned after their car got stuck in a heavily waterlogged underpass in Malad. One person was electrocuted in Vile Parle and a security guard was killed in a wall collapse in suburban Mulund.
In Pune, the compound wall of the Sinhagad College crashed on some hutments killing at least seven persons.
Late on Tuesday night, at least six people were killed and 18 others are still missing after the Tiware Dam in Maharashtra’s Ratnagiri district breached following incessant rainfall.
Air, road and rail traffic was severely in the state and the financial capital.
Mumbai airport closed its main runway for operations after a flight skidded on the main runway.
Some flights have been diverted to Goa while many others were rescheduled.
Sub-urban train movement in some areas in Mumbai and around were cancelled citing “safety hazard”. Many trains were short-terminated after the tracks were flooded with water.
Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department has warned of “extremely heavy” rainfall in adjoining areas of Thane and Palghar on July 4 and 5.
Private weather agency Skymet said Mumbai is at “serious risk of flooding” between July 3 and 5.
In the wake of the incessant rainfall, all schools were shut on Tuesday.
The Indian Navy deployed rubber boats and a team of naval divers from INS Tanaji, armed with lifebouys, life-jackets and food packets, rescued around 1,000 people stranded in Kranti Nagar slums of Kurla.