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Mumbai on red alert as 300mm rain floods city, kills 1 and halts flights
High tide coincided with the intense rains as several low-lying areas in the city witnessed heavy flooding. Mumbai’s railway servicing 7.5 million people was also hit by the rains
- PUBLISHED: Sun 5 Jul 2026, 5:57 PM
Heavy rains on Sunday disrupted life in India’s financial and commercial capital, uprooting trees, flooding low-lying areas and crippling the city for the second day running.
One man was killed when a tree struck him in Kurla, a suburb. Yunus Hakimuddin Sheikh, 63, had just bought a shop and was preparing for its opening when he was hit by the falling tree.
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The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for Mumbai and the neighbouring cities. The city’s international airport down operations for an hour on Sunday morning, closing the runways because of low visibility. Most flights were disrupted because of the heavy rains.
According to the met office, the metropolis recorded over 300mm of rainfall in 24 hours. The rainfall, which got delayed this year by a few days, is likely to intensify over the coming days.
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When high tide coincided with the intense rains, several low-lying areas in the city witnessed heavy flooding. Mayor Ritu Tawde urged residents to stay away from the seaside and adhere to police and civic guidelines.
The civic body urged people not to venture out during the heavy rains. Mumbai’s suburban railway services, which cater to the needs of 7.5 million people daily, were also hit by the rains, though the number of passengers was low as it was a Sunday.
Girish Mahajan, the Disaster Management Minister of Maharashtra, advised citizens not to step out of homes, unless in case of an emergency. Rescue teams have been deployed across the city to help those affected by the heavy rains, he said.
“More than 200mm of rain has occurred in 12 hours, which is very heavy,” he told the media. He warned people from sitting near the sea, especially during high tide, and taking selfies. “Most accidents happen because of selfies. Places with tourism interest witness high casualties,” he added.
The IMD has issued orange and yellow alerts for several districts in Kerala, as the southwest monsoon intensified on Sunday.
The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority urged residents to move to safer areas from landslide prone locations. Similar warnings have been issued across the country.
In Odisha, all districts have been alerted as a well-marked low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal intensified into a depression.
A yellow alert for thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds has been issued in Jharkhand.
Delhi and the surrounding National Capital Region witnessed moderate rain on Sunday, bringing relief to millions of residents from the stifling heat of the past few weeks.
