IMD predicts heavy rain in Mumbai today, Disaster Management on alert

Mumbai: The India Meteorological Department on Saturday evening predicted "heavy to very heavy" rains in Mumbai, including "extremely heavy" rain in isolated places, for Sunday.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said it was prepared for the monsoon onslaught and asked citizens to be careful.

"BMC has alerted its citizens about the possibility of extremely heavy rainfall tomorrow accompanied by lightning during the day. The civic machinery, including the Disaster Management Cell, has been put on alert," a civic body spokesperson told PTI.

He said, wherever required, ward officials have been asked to visit areas in their jurisdiction to monitor the situation on the ground.

"We appeal to citizens to be careful and avoid venturing into the sea, and not to open manholes," he added.

In a statement in the evening, Central Railway informed that over 1,000 passengers rescued from the Mumbai- Kolhapur Mahalaxmi Express earlier on Saturday afternoon made their onward journey in a special train that left from Kalyan at 6:10 pm.

The train will go via Manmad, Pune and Daund to Kolhapur, CR chief public relations officer Sunil Udasi said.

The Mahalaxmi Express marooned near Vangani in neighbouring Thane district after heavy rains caused the Ulhas river to breach its banks.

They were rescued by NDRF, Army, Navy, Air Force and railway teams around 3pm after a 17-hour ordeal.