Mumbai, the Bollywood hub and largest city in India, has seen over 300 millimeters of rain fall in a few hours, causing severe monsoon rains that have paralyzed daily life.
The city, which is home to around 12 million people, saw 11.8 inches of rain fall in six hours, ending at seven in the morning, according to a statement from city officials.
Over two million people are reported to have been impacted by overflowing rivers in other locations, while airlines had disruptions and educational institutions had to close as a result of heavy rainfall in the city.
In anticipation of additional intense downpours and a high tide of 4.40 meters (14 feet) in the coastal city, educational institutions closed for the day.
Eknath Shinde, the chief minister of Maharashtra, a western state with Mumbai as its hub, stated on X that “there is heavy traffic on the roads and rail lines too have been affected,” and he advised people to stay home unless absolutely necessary.
Many places had vehicles half buried in knee-deep water, making it difficult for commuters to walk, as traffic jammed the city’s Eastern and Western Express routes.
Some long-distance trains had to be canceled due to water on the tracks, according to railway authorities, while television footage showed some suburban passenger trains—a vital source of everyday transportation for millions of people—halting on flooded lines.
