Severe rainfall warning: Red alert for heavy rains in Mumbai after - airlines including IndiGo, Air India and Akasa Air issue travel advisory as flights delayed
A red alert for heavy rain has been issued for Mumbai with airlines issuing travel advisories to passengers as flights are delayed.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red warning for Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, Raigad, and Ratnagiri districts, forecasting intense to very intense rainfall spells accompanied by gusty winds of 40–50 kmph, gusting up to 60 kmph. The warning, valid for three hours, comes amid heavy downpour that has already claimed six lives in Maharashtra in the past 24 hours, with five persons reported missing in Nanded district due to flood-like conditions.
In Mumbai, torrential rains over the past five days have made it the wettest August in five years, with over 837 mm of rainfall recorded. On Tuesday, 400 residents were evacuated from low-lying areas around the swelling Mithi river.
Airline IndiGo on Wednesday issued a travel advisory for passengers amid IMD’s prediction of heavy rains in Mumbai and nearby areas. The airline cautioned that waterlogging and traffic snarls could delay travel to the airport and that air traffic congestion may impact flight operations.
Passengers were urged to check their flight status on the airline’s website or app before heading out. SpiceJet has also alerted travellers to the potential impact of heavy rains on flight departures and arrivals in Mumbai.
Air India took to social media alerting travellers against potential changes in flight schedules, owing to persistent rain. Akasa Air’s travel advisory cautions travellers against slow-moving traffic leading up to the airport, due to intense rains in Mumbai, Pune, and Goa.