Mumbai: Sixteen people have been killed overnight in two rain-related accidents in Mumbai and the neighbouring city of Thane as the city witnessed heavy rain overnight. Several suburban and long-distance trains have been cancelled after railway tracks were flooded.
The Maharashtra government has declared a public holiday today in Mumbai as a precautionary measure following the incessant rain and has asked people to stay indoors.
Several flights have been diverted after the main runway of the Mumbai airport was closed last night. A secondary one is being used for flight operations.
The city received the highest rainfall in a decade over a two-day period since Sunday, resulting in massive traffic jams and flooding homes in low-lying areas. “Due to heavy rain forecast in Mumbai even today by IMD, People are advised to stay indoors unless there is any emergency,” Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s office tweeted.
“It’s nature’s fury… Moving trains in such rains in Kurla Thane section is safety hazard at this point of time… Suburban Train movement has been suspended till further advice. Inconvenience is deeply regretted,” Central Railway tweeted minutes after midnight on Tuesday.
But this morning, Western and Central Railway have been tweeting updates of train lines that are functional.
Thirteen people were killed and four critically injured after a compound wall crashed in Mumbai’s Malad East early this morning. Officials fear that three to five persons may be trapped in debris.
In neighbouring Thane’s Kalyan, three, including a three-year-old boy, have been killed after the wall of a school crashed on two houses. The government has announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the families of those who died in the Malad wall collapse
