Mumbai rains: BMC urges residents to stay indoors amid red alert
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Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday urged residents to avoid stepping out unless absolutely necessary after the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for extremely heavy rainfall across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, accompanied by wind speeds of 80 to 90 kmph.
In an advisory issued on X, the civic body appealed to citizens to stay away from trees, dilapidated buildings, hoardings, electric poles and other hazardous structures. It also advised people not to park vehicles under trees and to avoid visiting seashores and low-lying areas vulnerable to flooding.
The BMC urged residents not to believe rumours and to rely only on official advisories and alerts issued by government agencies. It asked citizens to strictly follow instructions issued by the administration and disaster management authorities and to contact the BMC helpline, 1916, in case of emergencies.
The civic body said nearly 15,000 officers and personnel from the BMC and various agencies were working round the clock across the city, while senior officials were closely monitoring the situation and coordinating response measures. It reiterated that public safety remains the highest priority and urged residents to comply with all advisories issued by the BMC and Mumbai Police.
The IMD has forecast extremely heavy rainfall over Greater Mumbai for the day, prompting authorities to intensify preparedness measures.
Relentless overnight rainfall has led to widespread flooding and severe waterlogging across several parts of Mumbai. Major flood-prone locations, including the Andheri Milan Subway, Kurla, Chunabhatti, Ghatkopar and Sion Pratiksha Nagar, were inundated, causing major disruption to daily life.
Residents were forced to wade through waist-deep water in several areas, while authorities declared a holiday for all schools and colleges in Mumbai in view of the adverse weather conditions.
Heavy rain and waterlogging also disrupted train services on the Central, Western and Harbour railway lines, affecting thousands of commuters.
The BMC received more than 400 complaints related to fallen trees and collapsed branches across the city. Despite recent fatalities caused by falling trees in Chembur, Kurla and Aarey Colony, citizens and activists alleged that the civic body's management of vulnerable trees remains inadequate. They claimed that dangerous overhead branches continue to pose risks despite directions for immediate safety audits.
With IANS inputs