Pedestrians walk under the umbrellas on a waterlogged street in Mumbai on Thursday. (Photo: ANI)
Rainfall in Mumbai and neighbouring districts is likely to intensify on Friday. Rains lashed the financial capital for the fourth consecutive day on Thursday.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a ‘red’ alert for Palghar, Thane, Mumbai, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg for Friday.
A red alert indicates that heavy rainfall in a few places and extremely heavy rainfall (above 204.5 mm in 24 hours) at isolated places is very likely.
The IMD has also predicted the possibility of occasional strong winds reaching 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph, a civic official said.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday issued an order prohibiting people from visiting the city beaches on the days for which the IMD has given an ‘orange’ or ‘red’ alert warning of heavy rainfall.
It, however, said that the beaches will remain open for people between 6 am and 10 am on such days. This step was taken to prevent incidents of drowning in the Arabian Sea, an official said.
“It is hereby directed that during the period of orange and red alert by India Meteorological Department (IMD), the beaches in Mumbai shall be open for entry for general public between 6 am to 10 am only,” the order issued by municipal commissioner and administrator Iqbal Singh Chahal stated.
Necessary instructions should be placed on all such beaches to inform the people of these restrictions immediately, it added.
The official said that the order has been issued in the wake of the heavy rainfall prediction and in order to prevent the incidents of drowning incidents.
(With inputs from PTI)
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