Mumbai: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a fresh red alert for Mumbai and Raigad on Tuesday morning, forecasting intense spells of rain accompanied by gusty winds reaching up to 65 kmph. This marks the second consecutive day of red alert for Mumbai, prompting the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to declare a holiday for all schools and colleges across the city and its suburbs.

Mumbai received a record rainfall of 300 mm, while a rise in the Mithi river level triggered evacuation of 500 people as the second straight day of downpour on Tuesday severely disrupted road, rail traffic and crippled normal life. In fact, Mumbai recorded over 500 mm of rainfall within 84 hours. The downpour caused widespread waterlogging in several areas, including Chembur, Dadar, Hindmata, Andheri, and King’s Circle, disrupting daily life and raising fresh concerns about the city’s flood preparedness.

Flooded streets which resembled rivers at several places, stranded commuters and vehicles struggling to navigate the inundated roads once again highlighted the financial capital's annual challenge in dealing with the monsoon rains. Commuters faced severe hardship as local train services of the Central Railway were disrupted on its main and harbour lines due to submergence of tracks due to torrential rains, while flight operations, too, were affected.

At some places, rail tracks were submerged under as much as 17 inches of water, officials said.

At least eight flights were diverted and many were delayed at the Mumbai airport. Airlines informed passengers about flight delays due to persistent rain, and low-visibility procedures were put in place intermittently.

A man who entered the Mithi River is still missing. Another individual was injured in a tree fall in Sahar. Road traffic slowed to a crawl in many parts of the city, and train services across the Central, Harbour, and Western lines suffered major delays, with some trains running an hour late.

At the airport, poor visibility and rain led to at least 10 flights executing go-arounds and one being diverted. Mumbai University has postponed 32 exams that were scheduled for Tuesday, rescheduling them to August 23.