Mumbai, July 7 (IANS) Heavy torrential rains continue to batter several parts of Maharashtra. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a ‘Red Alert’ for Tuesday in the Nashik Ghat areas, Pune Ghat areas, Palghar, and Raigad districts. An ‘Orange Alert’ has been sounded for Mumbai, Thane, Ratnagiri, Nashik, Satara Ghat areas, Akola, and Amravati districts.

Following the Orange and Red Alerts issued by the weather department, district administrations have declared a holiday for schools and colleges today.

Educational institutions will remain closed in Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri, Navi Mumbai, Kalyan-Dombivli, Bhiwandi, Nashik, and rural parts of Pune. The decision was taken as a precautionary measure by the district authorities, keeping in view the continuous rainfall over the last three days and the high risk of waterlogging.

After a relentless downpour, the heavy spells of rain in Mumbai have briefly paused. However, the IMD has maintained an ‘Orange Alert’ for the city today, predicting heavy rain accompanied by gusty winds. Citizens have been urged to remain cautious and alert. Although the rain has temporarily stopped, heavy cloud cover persists over the city.

The Mithi River is reportedly flowing at its full capacity. Earlier, the heavy rainfall severely disrupted suburban train services across all three local railway lines.

On Western Railway, the local train services are currently running 15 to 20 minutes late. While local services between Vasai and Virar—which were severely disrupted yesterday—have been restored, waterlogging on the tracks in the Vasai-Virar section is still causing issues. Consequently, several trains have been cancelled. There are currently no updates regarding the local train services between Dahanu and Virar.

On Central Railway, suburban train services are running 15 to 20 minutes behind schedule. On Harbour Line trains on the Harbour route are operating with a delay of 10 to 15 minutes.

Palghar district was severely battered by heavy downpours yesterday. Continuous cloudburst-like rain in Vasai-Virar, Saphale, Kelve, Palghar, Boisar, Manor, and Wada caused rivers and streams to overflow. The Tansa River flowing over Khanivde reached the danger mark, forcing floodwaters into riverside villages and homes, resulting in extensive damage to essential commodities. Similarly, the Vaitarna River near Manor witnessed severe flooding, submerging several roads and entering nearby villages. Residential homes in the Wada area were also flooded. This intense rainfall crippled both rail and road transportation.

Traffic on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad National Highway came to a standstill near Dhekale, as massive mudslides and rainwater cascading down the hills turned the highway into a river. Overall, daily life in Palghar district has been completely derailed. The heavy rainfall across the state shows no signs of slowing down.

Following a review meeting, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has warned that there is a threat of a cloudburst in Nashik today. When asked about implementing ‘Work From Home’ directives given the weather severity, CM Fadnavis stated, “On humanitarian grounds, when a weather alert is issued, it is expected that everyone responds to it responsibly.”

He clarified that holidays have already been declared for all non-essential services. He strictly warned that action would be taken against offices and establishments found forcing employees to report to work despite the official holidays and safety warnings.

–IANS

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