🚨 Mumbai Underwater! Streets Flooded, Trains Halted, Red Alert Issued
Image via India Times
Mumbai, Saturday, August 16, 2025 – Heavy rain lashed Mumbai throughout the night and morning, leaving the city struggling to breathe. Streets turned into rivers. Railway tracks were submerged. Traffic crawled. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for Mumbai, warning of more intense rainfall in the coming hours.
Tragedy in Vikhroli: Landslide Claims Two Lives
The first tragedy of the day came from Vikhroli’s Jankalyan Society, where a massive landslide hit a hut. The force of the soil and stones crashing down was deadly. Two people died on the spot. Two more were injured and shifted to a nearby hospital. The rescue operation was quick, but the damage was already done.
This incident has left local residents in shock. Officials from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and police teams rushed to the spot. Heavy equipment was deployed to clear debris and secure the area to avoid further accidents.
Streets Become Rivers: Waterlogging Everywhere
By morning, many areas of Mumbai looked like flood zones. Sion, Kings Circle, Bandra, Andheri, Vashi, and Vasai-Virar faced heavy waterlogging. Vehicles were half-submerged. People waded through knee-deep water to reach their destinations. Buses were delayed, and auto rickshaws refused many rides.
The BMC said more than 150 pumps were deployed to clear water from low-lying areas. However, with the continuous downpour, it became almost impossible to reduce the flooding quickly.
Railway Tracks Flooded: Local Trains Hit Hard
Mumbai’s lifeline—its local trains—was thrown into disarray. Tracks at Dadar, Bandra, Kurla, Tilak Nagar, Sion, and Chunabhatti were completely under water. Trains moved slowly, with long gaps between services. At several points, services were suspended entirely.
Commuters were stranded at stations, waiting for hours. Office workers, students, and daily wage earners faced major hardships. The Central and Western Railways issued advisories asking people to avoid unnecessary travel.
Air Travel Also Disrupted
The impact was not just limited to roads and railways. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport also reported disruptions. Several flights were delayed. SpiceJet and other airlines issued alerts about possible cancellations. Passengers were advised to check flight status before heading to the airport.
For a city that depends heavily on smooth connectivity, these disruptions have created chaos across all sectors.
IMD Warnings: Red Alert for Mumbai
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for Mumbai on August 16. According to IMD officials, the rainfall pattern indicates extremely heavy showers over the next few hours. Neighboring districts of Raigad and Thane are also under orange and red alerts.
The IMD explained that strong convection currents are keeping clouds active over the region. This means Mumbai is likely to receive more downpour during late evening and night.
Hourly Rainfall Data: The Numbers Tell the Story
The rainfall data recorded between 8:30 AM (August 15) and 8:30 AM (August 16) shows the scale of the downpour:
- Vikhroli: 257.5 mm
- Santacruz: 244.7 mm
- Sion: 228.0 mm
- Juhu: 219.5 mm
- Bandra: 184.0 mm
- Byculla: 172.0 mm
- Chembur: 131.5 mm
- Colaba: 83.2 mm
Any figure above 200 mm in 24 hours is considered extremely heavy. Many areas crossed that mark easily, explaining the flooding and travel disruptions.
Schools and Offices Affected
Several schools declared a holiday as parents were unable to send children safely. Private offices also advised employees to work from home. In many parts of the city, people remained stuck inside their homes as streets were completely flooded.
Online videos showed school buses stranded on waterlogged roads, creating panic among parents.
BMC and Police in Action
The BMC control room (1916) has been flooded with calls for help. Teams were dispatched to pump water, rescue stranded citizens, and manage traffic. Mumbai Police issued repeated warnings on social media, asking people to avoid unnecessary travel.
Rescue workers used boats in some severely flooded pockets. Engineers worked overnight to clear stormwater drains. Despite the efforts, the sheer volume of rainfall has overwhelmed the city’s drainage system.
Public Appeal: Stay Indoors and Stay Safe
Authorities are urging residents to stay indoors unless travel is absolutely essential. With the red alert still active, the risk of more landslides, waterlogging, and power outages remains high. Citizens have been asked to stock essential items, stay connected with official alerts, and help neighbors in need.
Voices from the Ground
Commuters expressed anger and frustration at the poor infrastructure. A resident from Sion said, “Every year we go through this. Water enters our homes, trains stop, and we get no relief. When will this change?”
Another commuter stuck at Bandra station said, “I waited for two hours. The trains are packed, and platforms are overflowing with people. I had no choice but to go back home.”
What Lies Ahead
The IMD has warned that the coming hours could see more rain. The situation may worsen if the downpour continues with the same intensity. Authorities are on alert, but citizens must prepare for longer disruptions.
Mumbai’s resilience has been tested time and again, but the combination of natural intensity and weak infrastructure is a dangerous mix. The city continues to struggle with the same monsoon problems year after year.