Mumbai reels under heavy rain as IMD issues red alert, offices shut and transport services hit badly

Mumbai (Maharashtra)[India] August 19: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issues a red alert for Mumbai and the surrounding districts on Monday. It is due to the intense rains that causes major waterlogging, delays in transportation and flight delays.

IMD warns of extremely heavy rainfall in Mumbai

According to the IMD forecast, Mumbai will get "very heavy to extremely heavy" rainfall on Tuesday. It will come along with strong winds of 45 to 55 kmph. The rain will increase traffic congestion, with a 3.75-meter high tide at 9:16 am and another 3.14-meter high tide at 8:53 pm.

BMC orders offices, schools and colleges to remain closed

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), as the District Disaster Management Authority, declares that all government, semi-government, and BMC offices under its control will be closed today. It comes with the exception of critical services, because of the continuous and intense rainfall in Mumbai.

The BMC also states that all private offices and institutions in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region have been asked to encourage staff members to avoid needless travel. They also ask to work from home wherever possible.

The Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) declares on Monday night that all schools and colleges in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region which includes the city and its surrounding areas will be closed on Tuesday, August 19. 

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation posts, “All schools and colleges in Mumbai (City and Suburbs) will remain closed tomorrow, 19th August 2025 (Tuesday). The India Meteorological Department has issued a Red Alert warning (extremely heavy rainfall), for Mumbai City and Suburbs tomorrow i.e. Tuesday, 19th August 2025” on social media platform X.

Flight and train services face delays due to waterlogging

Airlines are also issuing travel advisories. Indigo Airlines issues a travel alert for passengers who are departing from Mumbai. 

The Airlines post, "With Mumbai drenched in heavy showers, several routes to the airport are witnessing waterlogging and sluggish traffic. This has, in turn, led to operational challenges, with delays in both departures and arrivals and we truly regret the inconvenience this may cause. If you're scheduled to travel, we recommend leaving a little earlier and keeping an eye on your flight status via our app or website." 

In certain places, residents reportedly complain of waterlogging on railroad tracks. However, railway officials confirm that water levels are still below track height. Due to limited visibility, Western Railway trains experience a modest delay. The Central Railway services experience a delay of around 10 minutes on the main line and 5 minutes on the harbour line.