Mumbai Rains Bring City to a Halt: Red Alert, Flooded Roads, and Travel Chaos
Mumbai’s Rains Drag On—Chaos, Delays, and That Ever-Present Red Alert
Mumbai’s monsoon has been relentless lately. For the past few days, the city has been battling heavy downpours that just don’t seem to let up—not even in the morning. It’s like we blink, and the skies open up again.
A City Wrapped in a Red Alert
So here’s the situation as of today, August 18, 2025: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) slapped a red alert on Mumbai, warning of extremely heavy rainfall across the city (The Economic Times). It’s not just talk—the red alert “supersedes the earlier orange alert,” and it now covers neighbouring districts like Thane and Palghar (The Economic Times).
And earlier in the day, things were intense. A red alert was already in place until 11:50 am, followed by an orange alert until August 19, and a yellow alert on August 20 (The Times of India).
Heavy Rainfall, Waterlogged Roads, and Traffic Nightmares
Traffic is a nightmare. Western Express Highway near Vile Parle? Waterlogged. Vehicles crawling. Local trains delayed by 10 minutes or more on both Central and Western lines (The Times of India, The Indian Express). And it’s not just that. Low-lying spots near Kurla station, D N Nagar in Andheri, Dadar, and Hindmata are flooded too (The Indian Express).
Down near Vakola bridge, Hyatt Junction, and Khar subway—they’re all underwater, or at least severely waterlogged. The Mumbai Police flagged those areas for traffic disruptions (The Indian Express). Oh, and a protection wall actually collapsed in Chembur—just another sign of how tough this is getting (NDTV Profit).
Schools Closed, Work Disrupted
The BMC (the civic body) pulled the plug on school and college sessions today. Full closure, especially for afternoon shifts, and some morning schools let students go early—some might even say they evacuated them (The Economic Times).
And flights? Trains? They’ve all been hit. IndiGo, SpiceJet, Akasa—they’ve issued travel advisories to warn travellers of possible disruptions (mMint ABP Live). The roads remain crazily waterlogged, and rail services are in disarray (The Financial Express, The Economic Times).
Rescues, Delays, and Everyday Chaos
The rain’s been pretty unrelenting—three straight days now. And that’s causing widespread trouble. Vikhroli, Ghatkopar, Bhandup, and Andheri—all soaked (India TV News, The Times of India). A school bus got stuck with six kids and two staff members inside, but thankfully, the police managed to rescue them safely (The Times of India).
In places like Andheri Subway and Lokhandwala Complex, people were walking through knee-deep water. Trains are delayed 15–20 minutes or more. BEST buses still ran, but everything just slowed to a crawl (The Times of India).
High Tides and Flood Warnings
If rain wasn’t enough, high tides are making things even worse. BMC issued alerts about rising tides at the coast, which is just adding to the waterlogging ordeal Mintt, ABP Live). According to the IMD forecast, we can expect moderate to heavy rains over the next 24 hours, maybe even very heavy showers and gusty winds around 40–50 km/h (Hindustan Times). And this mood isn’t changing anytime soon—rain might stick around till August 23 (Hindustan Times).
The IMD also flagged the risk of local flooding, uprooted trees, mundane collapses, flash floods, and disruptions to just about everything: roads, trains, electricity, water supply—you name it (India Meteorological Department).
Not Just Mumbai—Wider State Alerts
It’s not just Mumbai that’s bearing the brunt. Raigad, Palghar, Pune ghats, Satara, Ratnagiri, Kolhapur, and other areas are under orange or even red alerts (The Indian Express, The Times of India, India Today, Free Press Journal, The Financial Express). The IMD included nearby districts like Pune, Ratnagiri, and Satara as part of the red alert zone (The Financial Express).
The forecast says rain will persist in the Konkan and Maharashtra coastal regions for a while (Mint, Hindustan Times). Looks like monsoon is throwing a long tantrum this year.
Fly Delays, Train Pileups, and Cautious Citizens
Flights? Expect delays for sure—rains are throwing flight operations into disarray (Mint, ABP Live). Over 150 trains are reported running late today (NDTV Profit).
Authorities are telling everyone to avoid stepping out unless it’s absolutely needed. BMC even reminded residents via helpline 1916 if help’s required (www.ndtv.com).
Looking Ahead: What’s Left to Say?
Here’s the thing: Mumbai monsoon is not messing around this time. Traffic’s stuck, trains are late, flights are delayed, schools are shut, and folks are just trying to get through the day. IMD’s red alert is no joke, and we’re looking at at least a few more days of heavy rains.
Everyone needs to prep—pack a raincoat, leave early, maybe even work from home if they can. And hey, if you’re thinking of heading out, maybe just don’t. Stay tuned, check updates, and stay as dry as you can.
Let me know if you'd like to add or tweak something—maybe zoom into specific areas like Pune’s forecast, or how local trains are coping. Happy to refine!