Kalu, Kundalika river levels near danger mark following heavy rains in Maharashtra

Jul 08, 2024

Thane (Maharashtra) [India], July 8 : After heavy rainfall, the Kalu River in Thane and Kundalika River in Raigad are nearing their danger mark.
According to the Superintendent Engineer of Thane Region, "Kundalika River has its warning level at 23 meters and it is flowing at 22.5 meters as of today 8 pm and Kalu river has its warning level at 102 meters and is flowing at 101.1 meters as of now."
The Central Railways announced that due to the incessant rainfall which has caused water logging at various places, the train services on the main line-down and up fast line between CSMT-Thane are suspended. However, Down and Up slow lines are running. Harbour line services are temporarily suspended due to waterlogging at Chunnabhati.
Meanwhile, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation issued an alert for the residents of Mumbai and urged them to not step outside their houses.
BMC has also issued a helpline number 1916 for the residents of Mumbai to contact the Main Control Room of the BMC, for help and official information in case of requirement.
"The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a 'Red Alert' for Mumbai. Mumbaikars, if not required, avoid stepping out of your home. Please do not believe any rumors. Please dial 1916, the contact number of the Main Control Room of the BMC, for help and official information if required."
According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Mumbai has received 101.8 mm rainfall in city and 14.1 mm in suburbs between 8 am and 6 pm on Monday.
Meanwhile, Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation has declared a holiday in all schools in its limits on 9th July, Tuesday. All government and private schools to remain closed as per NMMC Education department[P1] orders.
Visuals have shown that waterlogging has occurred due to the incessant heavy rainfall in Mumbai which has led to a temporary closure of Andheri subway. Traffic is diverted to Swami Vivekanand Road.
Central Railways have informed that the multiple precautions have been taken by the Central Railway amid the heavy rainfall.
Speaking with ANI, Swapnil Dhanraj Nila, CPRO of Central Railway said, "Multiple precautions have been taken by the Central Railway. Both the services of the Central railway - on the mainline and harbour line are proceeding as per their schedules...We have suffered a disruption at Nahur and Chunabhatti Station of the Harbour Line. Normalcy has been restored to all the local services...We have deployed additional RPF manpower and commercial department manpower...These employees will be helping Indian Railways and Central Railway in proper management of the crowd and prevention of any untoward incident..."
Earlier in the day, the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), Mumbai, issued a red alert for Mumbai, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg for Monday. RMC has also issued a red alert for Pune and Satara.
IMD has predicted heavy rainfall at isolated places in Mumbai till July 12.
IMD has predicted heavy to moderate rainfall in Palghar, Thane, Dhule, Nandurbar, Jalgaon, Nasik, Ahmednagar, Kolhapur, Sangli, Sholapur, Aurangabad, Jalna, Parbhani, Beed, Hingoli, Nanded, Latur, Osmanabad, Akola, Amravati, Bhandara, Buldhana, Chandrapur, Gadchiroli, Gondia, Nagpur, Wardha, Washim and Yavatmal upto Jul 12.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for Mumbai for July 9, Tuesday.
The city is expected to receive very heavy rain in the next 24 hours. Mumbai recorded heavy rainfall on Monday morning, leading to traffic jams and waterlogging.
IMD Director at Mumbai Sunil Kamble told ANI, "Around 270 mm of rainfall was recorded between 2 am and 6 am today. An 'orange' alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall has been issued in Mumbai for the next 24 hours. A 'Yellow' alert for heavy rain has been issued for tomorrow."
Meanwhile, flight operations at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) were affected due to heavy rainfall in Mumbai on Monday morning.
Schools were shut down, and exams were cancelled scheduled for today due to heavy rains.
Amid heavy rains, on Monday morning, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde chaired a high-level meeting to review the situation in the state. He also directed all emergency agencies to be on high alert.
In a message on social media platform X, CM Shinde said that life has been disrupted in Mumbai due to heavy rains, saying, "There is a traffic jam on the roads and the traffic on the railway line has also been affected. The work of removing water from the track is going on by the railway administration and efforts are on to restore the traffic soon."
"I have directed all emergency agencies to be on high alert. Citizens should go out only if necessary. I am also appealing to the Mumbai Municipal Corporation, Police Administration and Emergency Services to cooperate," CM Shinde added in his post.
The Chief Minister's Office said in a statement, "Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde is chairing a high-level meeting at the Disaster Control Room to review the flood situation in the state and Mumbai due to heavy rains. Mumbai Guardian Minister MP Lodha, Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Anil Patil and others are present."
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole launched a scathing attack against Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government over waterlogging in Mumbai after heavy rains and called it a failure of the government.
"The mindset of the Maharashtra government was of corruption, of ending the democratic system. The people of Mumbai are suffering the consequences of that today. This is the failure of the government. Now you (Maharashtra CM) will go to the spot and do a photo session, what is the benefit of this?" said Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole.
Heavy rains in some low-lying areas led to waterlogging and disruption of suburban train services, said the civic body.
Water-logging was reported from Worli, Buntara Bhavan, in Kurla East, King's Circle area of Mumbai, Dadar and Vidyavihar Railway Station.
The civic body also said that Powai Lake, one of the most important lakes in the BMC area, started overflowing around 4:45 a.m. today following heavy rains.