Mumbai experienced its first rainfall of the season accompanied by a massive dust storm, casting the sky into darkness around 3 PM on Monday. While the rain brought relief from the heat to the residents, dusty winds encircled the metropolitan skyline. The abrupt weather shift brought traffic to a halt as commuters sought shelter during the storm.
Strong winds and rainfall lashed the Ghatkopar, Bandra Kurla, and Dharavi areas of Mumbai.
Autorickshaw Driver Injured After Coconut Tree Falls On Him
An autorickshaw driver was critically injured after a coconut tree fell on the vehicle due to gusty winds amid rains in Mumbai on Monday afternoon, news agency PTI reported citing police . The tree fell on the autorickshaw at Meghwadi Naka in the western suburb of Jogeshwari, and locals rushed the driver, Hayat Khan, to a nearby hospital.
Flight Operations Hit
Landing and takeoff operations at Mumbai Airport, one of the country's busiest, were temporarily suspended.
Operations resumed at 5:03 PM after witnessing 15 flight diversions during the storm. Last week, the airport completed pre-monsoon runway maintenance.
Towering 100-Foot Billboard Toppled
A towering 100-foot billboard toppled and crashed onto a petrol pump at Cheddanagar Junction in Ghatkopar, trapping vehicles and persons, as shown in the visuals. While no casualties have been reported. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has been summoned to aid in the rescue operation.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) Mumbai issued a "nowcast warning," predicting thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and moderate to intense spells of rain for Thane, Palghar, and Mumbai.
Further updates from the weather office warned of thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and moderate to intense rainfall with gusty winds reaching 50-60 km/hr at isolated locations in Palghar and Thane districts over the next 3-4 hours.
Metro services between Aarey and Andheri East stations were suspended after a banner landed on the overhead wire due to strong winds, confirmed a Metro Rail spokesperson. Suburban services on Central Railway were also disrupted following the bending of an overhead equipment pole between Thane and Mulund stations due to strong winds.
Additionally, strong winds led to tree falls in various areas, including neighbouring Navi Mumbai, where a tree blocked a busy road in Aroli Sector 5. Though no injuries were reported, heavy winds persisted, causing traffic congestion as commuters parked their vehicles at a safe distance.