Mumbai: Heavy rains wreak havoc, homes submerged in Kandivali

Mumbai, Aug 19 (IANS) Relentless rainfall paralyzes life in Mumbai, as the city grapples with waterlogging, traffic disruptions, and flooded homes. One of the worst-hit areas is the Milind Vikas Samiti Society in Hanuman Nagar, Kandivali, where residents are trapped indoors since early Tuesday morning due to flooding. 

Water entered several ground-floor homes around 4 a.m. and remained stagnant for over five hours. With rain showing no signs of slowing down, the situation has turned dire for many families. Daily life has come to a standstill as residents struggle for basic necessities like food, drinking water, and electricity.

IANS spoke to residents of Kandivali, where they talked about the difficulties they are facing with heavy rainfall.

“We are surrounded by water. It’s been five hours, and the water level hasn’t come down. We have no food, and no one has come to help us yet,” said Ranjan, a local resident, expressing frustration at the delay in relief efforts.

Uma, another resident, shared her distress: “Water entered our house at 4 a.m. We have no dry place left to sit. No authority has responded. This happens every year, and still, nothing changes.”

Sunil Vishwakarma added, “Mumbai has been battered by rain for the last four days. Everything is lost. Our children are huddled upstairs. There’s no food or water. It’s a nightmare.”

The ongoing monsoon fury has put much of Maharashtra on high alert, with Mumbai being one of the worst-affected cities. In the last 24 hours alone, several areas have received over 200 mm of rainfall. Vikhroli in the eastern suburbs recorded the highest at 255.5 mm. Major localities like Borivali, Andheri, Sion, Dadar, and Chembur have experienced relentless downpours, leading to severe waterlogging and disruptions in public transport.

As a precaution, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) declared a holiday for all schools and colleges across Mumbai on Tuesday. The Thane Municipal Corporation followed suit, announcing a two-day closure for all educational institutions -- on August 18 and 19 -- due to continuous rain and the 'red alert' issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The IMD has warned of extremely heavy rainfall in Mumbai, Thane, and Palghar districts, urging citizens to step out only if necessary. The department forecasts continued downpours until Thursday, with some relief expected by Friday.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar visited the State Emergency Control Room on Monday to assess the flood situation. He directed immediate relief measures for affected areas and urged coordination among various civic agencies.

At least eight people have lost their lives across Maharashtra due to rain-related incidents in the past few days. Rescue teams remain on high alert as the city prepares for more rainfall in the coming hours.

--IANS

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