Heavy rain and gusty winds led IMD to issue a red alert for Mumbai and Raigad for a second day.
BMC declared a holiday for schools, colleges, and government offices in Mumbai due to waterlogging and flood risk.
Widespread flooding delayed flights and slowed traffic as the city struggled with stormwater despite upgraded drainage systems.
Mumbai on Red Alert as Heavy Rain Floods Roads, Disrupts Flights, Traffic; BMC Declares Holiday
Heavy monsoon rains bring Mumbai to a standstill, triggering school closures, office shutdowns and widespread travel disruptions
Flooded streets and stranded vehicles in Mumbai as heavy rain disrupts normal life Photo by Rishabh Parange
Summary
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The India Meteorological Department issued a red alert for Mumbai and Raigad earlier this morning, forecasting intense spells of rain accompanied by gusty winds reaching up to 65 kmph.
This marks the second consecutive day of red alert for Mumbai, prompting the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to declare a holiday for all schools and colleges across the city and its suburbs.
The city has been experiencing incessant monsoon rain since early morning of August 18, recording over 550 mm of rainfall within 84 hours. The intense showers caused widespread waterlogging in several areas, including Chembur, Dadar, Hindmata, Andheri and King’s Circle, disrupting daily life and raising fresh concerns about the city’s preparedness.
City Grinds to Halt
Despite upgrades to the underground stormwater tanks and drainage systems, chronic flooding points remained submerged for hours.
Considering the heavy rainfall, the BMC has declared a holiday on August 19 for all government and semi-government offices in Mumbai, excluding essential and emergency services.
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“With the exception of essential services, all government, semi-government offices, and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation offices in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation area have been declared closed today by the Municipal Corporation in its capacity as the District Disaster Management Authority,” the BMC wrote in a post on X.
According to TOI, the city also saw flight disruptions as arrival flights were delayed by an average of 30 minutes, while departures faced delays of around 20 minutes. IMD advised passengers to plan their commute carefully and allow extra time to reach the airport amid ongoing disruptions.
IndiGo Airlines issued a travel advisory for passengers flying out of Mumbai on August 19.
“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. If you’re scheduled to travel, we recommend leaving a little earlier and keeping an eye on your flight status via our app or website,” IndiGo wrote in its advisory on Twitter.
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The BMC also shared the high-tide timings, warning that waves could rise as high as 3.75 metres.
Sharing high tide timings, BMC said on social media platform X that occasional gusty winds reaching 45-55 kmph are also expected.
High tide in Mumbai today
9:16 am - 3.75 metres
8:53 pm - 3.14 metres
Low tide in Mumbai today
3:16 pm - 2.22 metres
3:11 am (August 20) - 1.05 metres
High tide in Mumbai on Aug 20
9:16 am – 3.75 metres
8:53 pm – 3.14 metres
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