Mumbai spent Tuesday, August 19, struggling against the kind of monsoon deluge that paralyses the city every few years. Continuous downpours since early morning left arterial roads under water, commuters stranded, and one of the country’s busiest airports in near-gridlock.
Mumbai Rains Cause Upheaval In The City
According to Hindustan Times, the India Meteorological Department kept the city, along with Thane and Raigad, on red alert, warning that the rain would not let up anytime soon.
The trouble began overnight at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, where pilots repeatedly failed to land amid poor visibility. By the time conditions eased, at least 11 go-arounds had been logged, three involving multiple attempts and five flights had diverted to alternate airports.
Delays rippled through the system well past 2:30 am, leaving passengers stuck in terminals with little clarity on departures. Airlines scrambled to manage expectations. IndiGo warned travellers about flooded approach roads and urged them to leave home early.
Akasa Air went a step further, flagging possible snags not only in Mumbai but also in Hyderabad, Pune, Goa, and Guwahati, where traffic congestion was already building.
SpiceJet cited “cascading delays” across its network, urging passengers to stay glued to live updates. Inside the airport, the mood was tense and chaotic with long queues, weary families sprawled across waiting areas, and repeated announcements about schedule changes.
Also Read: Mumbai Rains: Areas With Highest Rainfall, Improvement In Air Quality & Other Latest Updates
Civic Body Orders Shutdown
On the ground, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) responded promptly. By mid-morning, it announced the closure of all government and semi-government offices, exercising its powers as the District Disaster Management Authority.
Private establishments were “urgently” asked to shift employees to work from home. Essential services such as healthcare, police, fire, water, and electricity remained exempt.
The decision came after waterlogging crippled neighbourhoods from Atal Setu and Kopar to Chembur, where knee-deep flooding slowed buses and stranded early office-goers. Traffic on key connectors slowed to a crawl, as stated by Hindustan Times.
Between midnight and dawn, Mumbai received 177 mm of rain in barely six to eight hours. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis confirmed widespread rainfall across Maharashtra, with red and orange alerts active in multiple districts. “The downpour has been intense and relentless. Citizens must take every precaution and follow advisories,” he said.
Also Read: Mumbai Rains: Landslide In Vikhroli Claims 2 Lives; Rail Tracks Flooded, Airlines Issue Travel Alert
For residents, the message was blunt: avoid unnecessary travel. With forecasts promising more rain through the day, Mumbai braced for another cycle of waterlogged roads, delayed flights, and empty offices.
Cover Image Courtesy: virenn-indian/X and absolutevish/X
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