Heavy rain batters Maharashtra; 13 dead, transport hit

MUMBAI: Relentless heavy rain continued to batter Maharashtra, leaving at least 13 people dead and causing widespread disruption across the state. Flooding, landslides and severe waterlogging have affected road, rail and air transport, prompting authorities to urge people to avoid non-essential travel.

Traffic on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and the Mumbai-Pune Highway was suspended after heavy rain triggered flooding and landslides. Police have advised the public to avoid travelling between the two cities until further notice.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an Orange Alert for Mumbai as the city continues to receive intense rainfall. Over the past five days, Mumbai has witnessed exceptionally heavy showers, with the Santacruz observatory recording 805.6 mm of rainfall and the Colaba observatory registering 744.2 mm. According to officials, this is the city's heaviest spell of rainfall in the past 50 years.

The downpour has also claimed several lives. In Mankhurd, a four-storey building collapsed onto a nearby hut, killing six people, including five children. Two others were killed after being struck by trees uprooted by strong winds and heavy rain. More than 200 trees have reportedly been uprooted across Mumbai, while schools in several parts of the city have been closed as a precaution.

Flight operations at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport were also disrupted by the adverse weather. Airport authorities said 17 flights were cancelled and 217 delayed until 11.30 am because of the heavy rain.

Weather officials have warned that conditions could worsen as a low-pressure system over the region is expected to intensify. A separate alert has also been issued for Nashik, where an intense cloudburst is possible on Tuesday. Residents have been advised to remain vigilant, avoid unnecessary travel and closely follow official weather advisories as heavy rain is expected to continue.