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Nearly 10 years after Mumbai was battered and marooned by incessant rain, the city received around 350 mm rainfall, which is 15 per cent of what it receives in a year, in just 36 hours till 8 pm on Friday.
The Mithi river, one of the main causes of the July 26, 2005, deluge, is close to the danger mark and authorities have asked people in the vicinity to move to safer areas.
The downpour wreaked havoc on Friday as normal life was completely thrown out of gear with road, rail and air traffic badly affected, reminding Mumbaikars of the city’s worst-ever deluge.
Two people were electrocuted in Wadala area when they came in contact with a live wire.
It will be a back-to-back wet weekend with the weather department predicting heavy to very heavy rain in Mumbai and the Konkan coast for Saturday and Sunday.
The rain exposed the tall claims made by the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai of a trouble-free monsoon as commuters bore the burnt in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, comprising the twin districts of Mumbai City and Mumbai Suburbs, besides parts of adjoining Thane, Palghar and Raigad districts.
S K Dam, a marketing executive based in Navi Mumbai, said that he did not take the risk of going to office. “I saw the situation on TV and avoided...In the past, I have experienced similar situations,” he said.
Abidali Dossa, a Mira Road resident, said: “Generally I drive. Today (Friday) there was a conference at ITC Parel...I started at 6 am, changed couple of taxis and reached the venue in time. We were expecting 100 people, but only 25 turned up. We did the conference, it went well.”
Dossa felt his chances of reaching home before midnight was very bleak. “Since 8 pm I am stranded at Dadar and there is no taxi available now,” he said, adding that he did not receive any announcement from the civic agency on his cellphone.
On July 26, 2005, a cloud-burst followed by a powerful storm struck India’s financial capital and the city received 944 mm of rain in just 24 hours, ending on July 27 at 8:30 am.
The Maharashtra government has urged Mumbaikars to stay indoors. The Western Naval Command has been put on high alert.
“The city has witnessed very heavy rainfall in the last 24 hours, more than what it usually receives in 10 days. Mumbai witnessed 283 mm of rain in 24 hours,” said Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta.
The worst affected areas are: Dadar, Sion, Hindmata, King’s Circle, Lalbaug, Parel, Byculla, Andheri, Jogeshwari, Kandivli, Kanjur Marg, Mira Road, Bhayender, Vasai, Nalasopara, Kalyan, parts of Thane.