Mumbai: Rains continued to lash Mumbai and surroundings since dawn as schools and colleges were ordered shut after an IMD Mumbai Red alert was sounded and two persons killed in rain-related deaths, officials said here on Thursday.
Churchgate, Byculla, Worli, Bandra, Chembur, Ghatkopar, Kurla, Santacruz, Andheri, Malad, Bhandup, and many other areas have been experiencing severe rain since morning.
According to BMC Disaster Control, as of 8 a.m., rainfall totals were as follows: City 112.25 mm, Eastern Suburbs 104.45 mm, and Western Suburbs 116.42 mm.
The IMD has forecast “heavy to very heavy rain in the city and suburbs with possibility of occasional gusty winds reaching 45-55 kmph” for the day.
The BMC and state government issued a red alert late Wednesday night, meaning that all public and private schools and colleges in the state were instructed to close today for the students' safety.
On the Ghodbunder Road in Thane, a biker apparently skidded on a wet patch, lost control, and was crushed to death between the wheels of the truck's container.
A woman was killed when a wall collapsed at her home in Kolhapur this morning during a downpour.
Today, the IMD has also issued a Red alert for the cities of Ratnagiri, Pune, Satara, Chandrapur, and Gadchiroli in addition to Mumbai.
Suburban rail services have not been interrupted, however there have been reports of traffic snarls on Mumbai's roads and highways.
The IMD has issued an Orange warning for Raigad, Ratnagiri, Pune, and Satara on Friday; however, conditions are expected to improve by the weekend.
Fishermen on the coastal Konkan region have been advised against venturing into the high seas till July 30 as there will be heavy rains with strong winds touching upto 55-kmph during the period.—Inputs from Agencies