Rain has finally arrived to India!
But in insane quantity!
Following one of the most intense heat wave the country has ever experienced, now the heaviest rains in a decade have caused at least 18 deaths and triggered massive rail, road and air transport disruptions in India’s financial capital Mumbai.
Mumbai, we understand it’s not been an easy Monday, but it’s also been a rain spell like never before – it’s the highest in a decade. 550 mm average of entire month of June has been exceeded in just last 48 hrs. We are truly trying our best. We request a bit of caution & patience
— माझी Mumbai, आपली BMC (@mybmc) July 1, 2019
The victims died when a wall collapsed on them in the early hours of Tuesday after persistent rainfall for two days.
Authorities have declared a public holiday on Tuesday and have requested people to stay indoors.
I love #MumbaiRain #MumbaiRainlive pic.twitter.com/rEtAZIpeKe
— Anand ?? (@anandmer4u) July 2, 2019
Met department officials have confirmed that this is the heaviest rainfall in the city for a decade.
Fall of the wall
Experts have blamed rapid construction and bad urban planning for what many call Mumbai’s annual rain chaos.
The victims were mostly labourers working at a construction site in the suburban area of Malad. Authorities said the wall had weakened after several days of rainfall.
The city has witnessed continuous rain in the past two days, causing flood-like situations in many areas.
Officials have requested people to be cautious.
Transport chaos
Railway officials have also announced that the suburban rail network, which is known as the city’s lifeline, will not be running on several routes, with officials from the central railways – one of the three main lines in the city – calling it “nature’s fury”.
#MumbaiRain Local train #Lifeline
— Amir khan (@AmirReport) July 1, 2019
@RidlrMUM @iAroosaAhmed
guess which place is This ? pic.twitter.com/mGiVemmlUT
Aviation authorities have also shut down the main runway at Mumbai’s international airport after a plane skidded off the runway while landing amid a heavy downpour. Officials said no passengers were injured in the incident.
Mumbai, which is the financial capital of India, has the second busiest airport in the country.
@flyspicejet overshoot at #MumbaiAirport @CSIAMumbai #Video #MumbaiRain pic.twitter.com/FLYZ4Zrozi
— Vivek Gupta News18 (@imvivekgupta) July 2, 2019
So far, more than 50 flights have been diverted with at least another 50 cancelled.
The second runway continues to be in operation but several flights are likely to be delayed or cancelled.
The city’s low-lying areas have turned into flood zones and residents are being forced to stay indoors.
Here’s what the Western Express Highway looks like right now! @ndtv reporting live tonight #MumbaiRainlive #MumbaiRain #MumbaiAiport @ndtv @ndtvvideos @ndtvindia @ndtvvideos pic.twitter.com/6ThRxzxJMu
— Saurabh Gupta(Micky) (@MickyGupta84) July 1, 2019
Some have blamed the city’s civic authorities for not preparing for the heavy rainfall.
Heavy rain in Mumbai, massive jams in many areas https://t.co/YqUK6PJmUn#MumbaiRains #MumbaiRain pic.twitter.com/4a4xiB4EOr
— NDTV (@ndtv) June 28, 2019
Meanwhile, at least nine people have died in other parts of Maharashtra state, taking the overall death toll to 27.
Mumbai was also brought to a halt in 2017 as well when heavy rain lashed the city. And it witnessed one of its worst disasters in 2005 when at least 900 people died in rain-triggered floods.
[BBC]
