Red Alert Issued for Thane as Heavy Rains Cause Widespread Waterlogging
Heavy rainfall lashed Thane and its neighbouring districts for the fourth consecutive day on Thursday morning, prompting the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to issue a red alert for the region. The intense downpour caused widespread waterlogging, disrupted daily commutes, and slowed traffic across low-lying areas.
The IMD issued a red Nowcast warning at 7 a.m. on Thursday. A red alert has also been sounded for Thane, Palghar, and Raigad in the coming days due to active monsoon systems, including troughs and upper-air cyclonic circulation. Meanwhile, an orange alert remains in place for Mumbai until July 5.
Data from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) weather stations showed heavy downpours between Wednesday and Thursday morning. Bhandup and Santacruz recorded the heaviest showers at 239 mm, followed by Powai at 234 mm, Andheri at 225 mm, and Parel and Mankhurd at 222 mm. Marol recorded 210 mm, while Sewri and Wadala received 208 mm. By 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, the Santacruz weather station had recorded 205 mm, and the Colaba coastal observatory received 158 mm.
The heavy morning showers triggered significant travel challenges for office-bound commuters, shoppers, and business owners. Waterlogging was reported in several low-lying areas and markets, forcing pedestrians to wade through ankle-deep water in chronic flood-prone spots, including Hindmata Junction, Kings Circle, and Andheri Subway.
Traffic slowed down along major arterial routes, including the Western and Eastern Express Highways. According to the Mumbai Traffic Police, approximately one and a half feet of water accumulated along BPT Wadala, slowing traffic. Vehicular movement was also affected in several areas in Chembur during the day.
The wet spell also led to over a hundred cases of tree and house collapses since Wednesday morning. BMC officials reported 99 tree collapses, with 38 cases in the western suburbs and 36 in the island city division. During the same period, at least six cases of partial house and wall collapses were reported, alongside 13 instances of short circuits.
Rain activity slowed down considerably by Thursday afternoon. Between 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., Santacruz received 17 mm of rain while the island city station recorded 16 mm.
