Red Alert for Mumbai and Raigad Fort closed till July 31 in Maharashtra amid heavy rainfall

Mumbai on High Alert; Raigad Fort Closed Until July 31 Due to Heavy Rainfall

Written by: Supriya Kadu

Edited by: Omkar Devadkar

Last Updated: July 09, 2024

Summary: A red alert has been issued for several states, including Maharashtra, for schools and colleges to be closed in Mumbai, and Raigad Fort is closed till July 31.

Today, July 9, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for Karnataka, Goa, Arunachal Pradesh, and Maharashtra due to the possibility of significant rainfall during the day. Furthermore, Assam and Meghalaya are under an orange warning.

Heavy rainfall in Mumbai the day before caused multiple trains and flights to be canceled. Subway and train tracks were submerged as a result of the high tide, which worsened the waterlogging crisis. Authorities have closed schools and colleges for the day because of the disruption caused by overflowing lakes and dams.

Whereas, a yellow alert has been issued for heavy rains in moist districts of the city, and the BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) has declared holidays for all schools in Mumbai on Tuesday, July 9.

The Raigad Fort in Maharashtra is restricted to tourists until July 31 due to the 500 or so hikers who got stuck on the trail on Sunday night during heavy rainfall.

Superintendent of Police, Raigad, Somnath Gharge, stated, "After July 31, we will decide on opening up the fort depending on the weather conditions at that time."

On Sunday night, videos surfaced showing people battling to get away from the hill's footsteps, where torrential rain was pouring down. Once the water levels dropped, the police rescued hikers and tourists.

Gharge gave both novice and expert hikers advice, saying, "With nature, you never know. Young people have the drive to jump into unknown water bodies. However, they can include sludge, thorns, or rocks. Not even experienced swimmers can overcome these circumstances. Thus, it is better to give in to nature at all times."

The police officers have also advised the people not to take “chor maarga” (hidden routes for trekking).