Heavy rain and strong winds battered Mumbai on Sunday (Img: Internet)
Mumbai: Heavy rain and strong winds battered Mumbai on Sunday, disrupting flight operations, flooding roads, claiming one life and triggering fresh political sparring over the city's monsoon preparedness. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has retained a red alert, warning of more intense rainfall over the financial capital.
Adverse weather conditions forced the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport to suspend runway operations for nearly an hour, from 10.17 am to 11.17 am, affecting both arrivals and departures.
According to airport authorities, strong winds of up to 42 knots and poor visibility due to heavy rain made it unsafe to continue runway operations. Services resumed after weather conditions improved.
The disruption led to widespread delays, with around 90 per cent of departing flights running behind schedule by over an hour, while a significant number of arriving flights were also delayed.
Four IndiGo flights were cancelled, and 13 incoming flights operated by various airlines were diverted before safely returning to Mumbai once operations resumed. IndiGo advised passengers to check their flight status as weather conditions continued to affect schedules.
The heavy rainfall also turned fatal after a tree fell on a shop in Kurla West.
A 63-year-old man, identified as Yunus Kundawala, was rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
The downpour sparked a political row, with Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad accusing the BJP of failing to improve the city's civic infrastructure despite years of control over the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
She questioned the effectiveness of annual drain desilting work, alleging that roads continued to be waterlogged despite repeated claims of complete monsoon preparedness.
The IMD has continued its red alert for Mumbai, warning of heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in the coming hours.
Authorities have urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel, remain indoors during intense spells of rain and monitor official weather updates as the city braces for more downpours.
