Mumbai, Aug 5 Heavy rains pounded Mumbai, Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and coastal Konkan for the second consecutive day, hitting suburban train services and disrupting normal life, officials said.
In a rare development, many parts of south Mumbai like Churchgate, Marine Lines, Marine Drive, Kalbadevi, Dongri, Byculla, Mazagaon, Parel, Dadar and surroundings witnessed heavy waterlogging, throwing the central business districts of the area out of gear.
Central Railway (CR) suburban train services were suspended between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and Kurla on the mainline and CSMT and Vashi on the Harbour Line after heavy downpour, said CR spokesperson Shivaji Sutar.
Similarly, Western Railway spokesperson Sumit Thakur said that owing to heavy rains, some suburban trains were suspended and all trains were reversed from Mumbai Central, Dadar, Bandra and Andheri.
Major landmarks like the Bombay Stock Exchange's (BSE) Phiroze Jeejeebhoy Tower suffered the brunt of the rain fury when its massive signboard on the 29th floor got ripped off and hung precariously.
Some sections of a cement cladding adorning the exteriors of the Jaslok Hospital in south Mumbai were blown off and fell in pieces on the road below, but there were no reports of any casualties.
In some areas, water rushed into ground-floor homes, shops or offices in south Mumbai as incessant rains continued all day.
Huge traffic snarls were witnessed in south Mumbai with trees falling on some roads in Churchgate, Marine Lines, Charni Road and Worli, hitting vehicular traffic on the Eastern Express Highway and the Western Express Highway.
With thousands of commuters getting stranded, the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Wednesday evening said that it had made arrangements for people at the nearest civic schools outside the major railway stations.
Heavy rains also lashed the adjoining coastal districts of Thane, Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg since the past 24 hours.
In Ratnagiri and Raigad, more than 25 villages in two sub-districts remained cut-off, while in Mahad town in Ratnagiri, rubber boats were deployed by disaster agencies to rescue several families stranded in at least four feet water.
Rains pounded Palghar and Thane causing waterlogging in many towns like Mira Road, Bhiwandi, Kalyan, Ulhasnagar, Naigaon, Vasai, Virar and Dahanu, hitting people in a big way.
The IMD has forecast heavy to extremely heavy spells of rain in Mumbai and the coastal Konkan area in the next 24 hours.
( With inputs from IANS )