It is that time of the year again when heavy rains lashed the Indian city of Mumbai and its surrounding areas, disrupting the lives of lakhs of people in the country’s financial capital.
Several parts of the city are submerged in water up to waist level as the city has been receiving continuous rain, causing floods and waterlogging.
No casualties have been reported, but the India Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert for the city and its neighbouring districts, predicting heavy to hefty rains in the next five days.
Teams of the National Disaster Response Force have been deployed in the city as a precautionary measure, a special force to deal with deadly disasters in the country.
Monsoon rains are expected in Maharashtra, where Mumbai is located – around this time of year. He is also at the centre of the lives of people shaping the fortunes of millions of farmers, who depend on rain to increase their yields.
But experts say climate change has made rainfall extraordinarily fierce and less predictable in recent years, and uncontrolled urban development often floods streets and homes and causes traffic jams.
Thousands of people migrate to Mumbai every day in search of jobs, which fuels rapid construction, often unregulated. In many areas, the drainage system is outdated and causes flooding. The city’s vast mangrove swamps, which act as a natural buffer during floods, have also been created over the past few decades.
On Tuesday, the newly appointed Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Eknath Shinde, visited the Disaster Management Control Room to oversee the relief and rescue efforts. People passed through dirty water due to sewer overflow and muddy roads.
In many areas, commuter trains, the lifeline of Mumbai’s transport system, were disrupted, bringing the usually bustling city to a standstill.