Mumbai Holiday on August 19, Today, Due To Heavy Rains: Schools, Colleges Shut - Heavy Rain Alert by IMD

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday announced that all schools and colleges across Mumbai city and suburbs will remain closed on Tuesday, August 19, following a red alert issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The IMD has forecast “extremely heavy rainfall” over Mumbai, prompting the civic body’s District Disaster Management Authority to declare a precautionary holiday for government, private and municipal educational institutions.

The directive comes after days of relentless downpours left several parts of the city waterlogged and disrupted road traffic. A red alert, the highest warning level from the IMD, signals the possibility of rainfall exceeding 204.5 mm within 24 hours. Authorities have urged residents to avoid non-essential travel and remain cautious.

CM Reviews Situation
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said Mumbai recorded 177 mm of rainfall within six to eight hours on Monday and warned that more heavy showers are likely, coinciding with high tide conditions.

According to the Chief Minister’s Office, seven rain-related deaths were reported in the state over the past two days. Fadnavis chaired a review meeting at the State Disaster Management Cell in Mantralaya, directing all departments to stay on high alert between August 17 and 21. Officials reported rivers in Konkan breaching danger levels, crop damage across nearly 4 lakh hectares, and around 800 villages in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division being affected. Jalgaon district has also reported extensive losses.

“Offices have been asked to allow employees to leave early by 4 pm. After 6.30 pm, high tides of up to 3 to 4 metres are expected. The next 10 to 12 hours are crucial for Mumbai,” Fadnavis told reporters. He authorised district collectors and civic bodies to take necessary decisions on declaring holidays and implementing relief measures. Police, meanwhile, have been instructed to intensify monitoring of landslide-prone zones and ensure relief centres are stocked with food, water and bedding.

Guardian Minister Assesses Mumbai Preparedness
Mumbai Suburban Guardian Minister Ashish Shelar also reviewed the situation through the BMC’s disaster management cell. He said schools, transport services and flooding hotspots were under close watch.

“Local trains were running with minor disruptions, while BEST has been directed to deploy additional buses for stranded passengers at major railway stations like Dadar and Mumbai Central,” Shelar said.

He added that senior civic and police officers were on the ground overseeing clearance of fallen trees and branches at over 30 locations. One person was injured at Napean Sea Road when a protection wall collapsed on a tree during heavy rains.

Shelar said pumping stations were operating at full capacity and water levels were being continuously tracked to prevent further flooding.