A man has gone missing after being swept away in the swollen Ulhas river in Thane`s Badlapur area, following intense rainfall across parts of Maharashtra, officials confirmed on Sunday.
According to the news agency PTI, the incident occurred on Saturday when the man, along with two others, entered the river for a swim amid rising water levels. According to Damodar Vangad, Chief Fire Officer of the local civic body, the fire brigade was informed nearly six hours after the incident, delaying rescue efforts. As of Sunday morning, the search operation to trace the man is still underway.
The incident comes amid a `red alert` issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) for extremely heavy rainfall in the districts of Thane, Palghar, Mumbai, and Raigad on Sunday.
In the last 24 hours, Thane city recorded 115.79 mm of rainfall, leading to widespread waterlogging, tree falls, and flooding in low-lying areas, said Yasin Tadvi, Chief of the Thane Municipal Corporation’s disaster management cell. Similar conditions were reported in Palghar, where several areas were submerged due to continuous downpours.
Authorities in both districts have urged residents to remain indoors unless absolutely necessary and to avoid risky areas like riverbanks. District collectors are closely monitoring the situation, with National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams and other rescue personnel on standby to respond to any emergencies.
As the rainfall continues, civic bodies are on high alert, and the public has been advised to follow official updates and avoid spreading or acting on rumours.
Mumbai rains: Colaba tops city rainfall with 120.8 mm in 24 hours
Between 8:30 a.m. on Saturday and 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, several parts of Mumbai recorded significant rainfall, with Colaba receiving the highest at 120.8 mm, crossing the 100 mm mark in just 24 hours.
Other notable readings include Juhu at 88.0 mm, Santacruz at 83.8 mm, Bandra at 82.5 mm, and Mahalaxmi at 28.0 mm. Due to waterlogging from the intense rain, the Andheri subway has been closed to traffic as a precautionary measure.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Mumbai on Sunday, forecasting very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall. The warning extends to the districts of Thane, Raigad, and Palghar, where intense downpours are also expected throughout the day.
According to the IMD, Mumbai and its suburbs are likely to experience a generally cloudy sky, accompanied by heavy to very heavy rain, thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds reaching speeds of 40–50 kmph. There is a possibility of extremely heavy rainfall in isolated pockets.
Temperatures in the city are expected to remain moderate, with the maximum around 27 degrees Celsius and the minimum around 23 degrees Celsius.
(With PTI inputs)
