Heavy rains batter Mumbai, over 180 flights cancelled; city limps back to normalcy

Heavy rains have once again taken a toll on airline operations in Mumbai as at least 75 flight operations have been cancelled, in total, according to ANI.

ANI photo

Mumbai: More than 180 flights at the Mumbai airport had to be cancelled in the past 24 hours due to heavy rainfall in the city and after a SpiceJet aircraft skidded off the runway and got stuck in mud, shutting down the main runway.

A statement from the Mumbai airport said 63 flights of Jet Airways, eight of IndiGo, two of SpiceJet and one of GoAir were among those that had to be cancelled till 5 pm today.

As many as 56 flights were diverted to nearby airports.

Meanwhile, commuters stuck at various stations due to disruption of suburban train services were seen making their way home as the situation improved on Wednesday. 

As per India Meteorological Department, the Santacruz observatory recorded 225.3 mm rain from 8.30 am to 11.30 pm last night. This quantity falls under the weather category of 'extremely heavy rain' (204.5 mm and above), an IMD official said.

The observatory recorded over 100 mm in just three hours (5.30-8.30pm), the official added. Mumbai recorded its second highest September rain in a span of 12 hours yesterday, BMC officials said.

Earlier in the day, air services at the Mumbai airport were hit badly, with 108 flights cancelled and another 51 diverted to nearby airports due to heavy rain and closure of the main runway after a Spice Jet aircraft skidded, overshot the runway and got stuck in the mud, blocking it.

Efforts are on to tow the aircraft away and clear the runway for operations, an airport official said. 

Following the downpour, several airlines issued travel advisories to passengers.

Jet Airways issued the following advisory:

"In lieu of the main runway not being available at Mumbai airport till 1830 hours on Sep 20, 2017, the following flights have been cancelled. We continue to closely monitor the situation in Mumbai. Guests are advised to check flight status before leaving for the airport. We will allow guests the convenience to amend their travel plans as required, with a waiver of penalties for date/flight change, refund and no-shows. Guests may choose to re-book themselves onto alternate flights (with an allowance of one date/time change without any penalty) by contacting our Contact Centre or their travel agent(s).

The waiver is applicable on all confirmed tickets issued for travel on Sep 20 and 21, 2017 for flights into and out of India."

"Several parts of the metropolis, including South Mumbai, Borivali, Kandivali, Andheri and Bhandup, received heavy rainfall. However, no untoward incident has been reported so far from any part of the city," an official of the BMC, the city's civic body, said.

The Mumbai airport, the country's second busiest after Delhi's IGI airport, handles 930 flights per day. An average of 48 aircraft land or take off every hour.

On Tuesday evening, a SpiceJet plane, carrying 183 passengers,  skidded off the runway during landing at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. Following the incident, the airport authorities moved the operations to the secondary runway.

On Wednesday, an airport operator said incessant rains hindered their efforts to remove the aircraft stuck in mud.

Rain-related deaths: 

On the other hand, at least five people were killed in separate rain-related incidents in Maharashtra's Palghar district, officials from district collectorate said.

Heavy rains lashed Palghar and neighbouring Thane district since the last 30 hours, they said.

The five people drowned in nullahs and rivers in separate incidents, a senior district administration officer said, adding Rs four lakh assistance will be provided to deceased's kin.

Meanwhile, in Dahanu at least 50 houses were damaged due rains and the occupants were shifted to different camps.

Officials from Thane District collectorate said no untoward incident was reported in Thane so far.

Waterlogging was reported in areas like Ghodbunder road which affected vehicular traffic, they added.