Heavy rains continue to pound Mumbai, schools and colleges shut, people asked not to go near beach

Heavy rains continued to lash Mumbai and adjoining suburbs on Saturday, leading to water- logging in several areas, which affected normal life.

Water-logging on tracks disrupted the suburban train services to some extent, as locals were running behind schedule by around 15 minutes.

However, flight operations at the Mumbai airport were not impacted due to rains, an airport official said.

"Overnight heavy rains in Mumbai and its adjoining areas has led to water-logging at some places, which has affected the flow of traffic, especially in parts of Malad, Andheri and Dahisar," a senior official of the said.

Chief spokesperson of the Central Railway, Sunil Udasi, said that due to heavy rains, suburban trains are running with "cautious speed".

Spokesperson of the Mumbai airport said, "Flight operations at the airport are normal."

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a warning of heavy rainfall in Mumbai on Saturday along with a high tide of 4.90 metres at 1.44 pm.

It also said that the weather conditions along the west coast would remain inclement.

The IMD also predicted heavy rainfall in Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts of Maharashtra.

The weather department had on Friday predicted intense heavy rainfall in Mumbai on Saturday and Sunday due to a low- pressure area over the Bay of Bengal.

In view of heavy rain warning and alert issued by the IMD, the BMC has issued a 'beach safety appeal' to citizens, the civic official said.

India Meteorological Department senior officer KS Hosalikar said the 4.90 metre tide is expected to hit the city this afternoon. "The highest high tide of the four monsoon months is also today of 4.90 metres at afternoon, exactly during the period when IMD has forecast intense rains for the city. Heavy rainfall warnings on very high tide day in Mumbai is not a good combination please. Avoid outing, beaches," he tweeted.

"We appeal citizens to avoid venturing near sea or walking in water logged areas. In any emergency call us on 1916," the official said.

He said intense rain will continue in north Konkan areas including Mumbai, Thane and Palghar for the next four to six hours. All government schools in Thane have been closed for today as per the order issued by the Municipal Corporation in view of continuous rainfall in the city, news agency ANI reported.

As per the fire station-wise rainfall recorded by the BMC in the 24 hours ending 8 am on Saturday, Dindoshi received 50 mm rainfall, followed by Kandivali (41 mm), Malad (36 mm), Chincholi (34 mm), Goregaon (33 mm), Bhandup (31 mm), Borivali (29 mm), Malwani (26 mm), Mulund (20 mm), Vikhroli (11 mm) and Kurla (9 mm).

with PTI inputs