Another day under water: Heavy rain cripples Mumbai commute

3 min readMumbaiUpdated: Jul 2, 2026 09:51 PM IST

Heavy rainfall on Thursday led to waterlogging in several markets across the city, causing inconvenience to shoppers, affecting business activities, and slowing vehicular and pedestrian movement. (Express Photo by Deepak Joshi)

Mumbai woke up to yet another day of torrential showers on Thursday morning, with pockets of the city receiving over 200 mm of rainfall, leaving streets submerged and bringing traffic to a crawl.

Heavy rainfall continued to lash Mumbai and its neighbouring districts for the fourth consecutive day this week, with the region waking up to a red Nowcast warning issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) at 7 am Thursday.

Data from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) weather stations showed that between Wednesday and Thursday morning, the heaviest showers were recorded in Bhandup and Santacruz at 239 mm, followed by 234 mm in Powai, 225 mm in Andheri, 222 mm in Parel and Mankhurd, 210 mm in Marol, and 208 mm in Sewri and Wadala.

The Santacruz weather station recorded 205 mm of rain while the Colaba coastal observatory received 158 mm of rain till 8.30 am Thursday.

The heavy showers come amidst an orange alert sounded by the IMD until July 5, owing to the possibility of heavy to very heavy rainfall. A red alert has also been issued for Palghar, Thane, and Raigad in the coming days due to active monsoon systems ranging from troughs to upper-air cyclonic circulation.

Low-lying areas flooded

The wet spell triggered travel woes for office-bound commuters on Thursday morning as several low-lying areas were inundated. Waterlogging was reported across parts of Worli, Kurla, and chronic flood-prone spots like Hindmata Junction, Kings Circle, and Andheri Subway, forcing pedestrians to wade through ankle-deep water.

Traffic snarls were reported along Mumbai’s major arterial routes—the Western and Eastern Express Highways. According to the Mumbai Traffic Police, approximately one and a half feet of water accumulated along BPT Wadala, slowing traffic. Vehicular movement was also affected in several areas in Chembur during the day.

Over 100 tree, house collapses reported

After heavy morning spells, rain activity slowed down considerably by Thursday afternoon. According to IMD’s records, Santacruz received 17 mm rain while island city station recorded 16 mm rain between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm.

The showers sparked over hundred cases of tree and house collapses across the city since Wednesday morning. As per BMC officials, 99 cases of tree collapses were reported between Wednesday and Thursday morning of which the maximum cases were reported in the western suburbs at 38, followed by 36 cases in island city division. During the same period, at least six cases of partial house and wall collapses were reported and 13 instances of short circuit.

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The spike in total tree collapses came a day after a large Peepal tree came crashing on a school van ferrying 12 students and killed 11-year-old Vihan Srivastava.

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Nayonika Bose is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express’ Mumbai bureau. While in the early stages of her career, her focused reporting on local governance and community welfare already demonstrates clear Expertise and Trustworthiness in covering essential civic issues impacting Mumbai's residents.

Expertise & Authority (E-E-A-T)

Specialized Focus: Nayonika's reporting is dedicated to civic and community issues, providing readers with highly relevant, ground-level information about the functionality and administration of India's largest metropolitan area.

Core Coverage Areas: Her articles highlight a strong focus on the fundamental quality of life and public safety in Mumbai, including:

Civic Infrastructure: Reports on critical failures and initiatives related to public works, such as the recurring problem of unauthorized building collapses in Navi Mumbai, the construction of new infrastructure projects (like the Dahisar-Bhayandar Link Road and the Mahalaxmi cable-stayed bridge), and the maintenance of essential city services (e.g., manhole cover theft).

Urban Governance & Crisis Management: Provides detailed coverage of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) response to major crises, particularly during the monsoon (e.g., heavy rainfall, water cuts, and public health concerns like dengue and malaria) and large-scale public safety incidents (e.g., the hoarding collapse fallout).

Community Welfare & Rights: Reports on key social issues, including the financial aid scheme for persons with disabilities, the struggles of Mumbai's hawkers protesting eviction drives, and the dangers faced by workers due to the continuation of manual scavenging in water tanks.

Cultural & Heritage Reporting: Covers significant community stories, including the restoration of British-era fountains and the history of institutions like the 126-year-old Chinchpokli cemetery, showing a breadth of interest beyond pure administration.

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