Runway operations at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport were temporarily suspended for about an hour on Sunday morning due to heavy rain, storms and downed trees.
The flight and landing were suspended from 10.17 to 11.17. Although service resumed after the weather improved, many flights were disrupted.
Four IndiGo flights were canceled and 13 incoming flights were diverted to nearby airports, including Ahmedabad, airport officials said. Later, when the weather became favorable, they were brought to Mumbai. Most departing and arriving flights were delayed by more than an hour.
In another rain-related disaster, a 63-year-old man died after a tree fell on a shop in Kurla district. This is the second death caused by a falling tree in the past week.
Three people were injured when a concrete slab collapsed on the second floor balcony of the Ram Niwas building in Vashi Sector 11, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra. Among them, 35-year-old Rajesh Shetty died due to ineffective treatment, while two women are undergoing treatment in the hospital.
A 17-year-old boy was swept away by floods in the Kanwari river in Bhiwandi while he was going crabbing with his friends. The search operation for him continues.
Five people were trapped inside a two-storey building in Thane’s Dhiwa area after a concrete slab of stairs collapsed. The fire department carried out the operation and rescued everyone safely.
A compound wall of an under-construction residential complex in Vasai area of Palghar district collapsed and fell on an adjacent residential area. Around 15 two-wheelers were damaged in the incident and there were no casualties.
Over the past 24 hours, the city has received more than 200 mm of rainfall in many areas, and about 300 mm in some areas. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said it was raining.
The red alert issued in Mumbai on Sunday has been extended and an orange alert has been issued for Monday. The department warned that heavy rain, storms and flooding were likely to continue over the next 24 hours.
All government, private schools and BMC colleges in Mumbai were declared a holiday on Monday, keeping in mind the intensity of rain and weather forecast. However, government and private offices will operate as usual. The BMC has asked the public to step out of their homes only when necessary and to follow the instructions of the authorities.