Landslide on Mumbai WEH after heavy rain, traffic hit

Heavy showers in Mumbai and neighbouring areas crippled normal life and disrupted rail and road traffic here on Tuesday, with essential services workers like nurses and other medical staff treating Covid-19 patients also finding it difficult to reach hospitals.

Several areas in the city and suburbs received more than 200 mm rainfall since Monday night and heavy showers were likely to continue for the next 48 hours, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

A landslide on the Western Express Highway, a major northsouth arterial road, in suburban Kandivali affected vehicular movement from the western suburbs towards south

Mumbai, though there was no casualty. An official said, “We received a call around 7am informing us about the debris on Ali Yavar Jung Marg (also known as the Western Express Highway).”

Vehicular movement from the area towards south Mumbai was disrupted, affecting regular commuters and those involved in emergency services as authorities closed some portion of the road for clearing the debris, another official said. A car was stuck in the debris and was later removed.

Local train services, which are currently being operated only for those engaged in essential services, were suspended on some routes in Mumbai and suburbs in the morning due to waterlogging on rail tracks. The Maharashtra government also announced a holiday for all its offices in Mumbai city and suburbs on Tuesday in view of the heavy rainfall in the metropolis and neighbouring areas.

The Santacruz observatory in western suburbs recorded 254 mm rainfall since Monday night while the Colaba observatory in south Mumbai recorded 220 mm rain during the same period, said the IMD, Mumbai, deputy director general K.S. Hosalikar.

The BMC has deployed high capacity water pumps to discharge water from streets in Byculla, Bhandup and some other areas, a civic official said.

SEVERAL AREAS in the city and suburbs received more than 200 mm rainfall since Monday night and heavy showers were likely to continue