Red alert for Mumbai as IMD forecasts very heavy rain and strong winds

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday issued a ‘red’ alert for Mumbai, Thane and Raigad districts, forecasting heavy to very heavy rainfall accompanied by strong winds and appealing to people to avoid unnecessary travel.

The weather office upgraded its warning from an ‘orange’ alert to a ‘red’ alert on Monday morning after observing changes in weather conditions. It also forecast occasional strong winds with gusts reaching 70-80 kmph across the region.

The IMD warned that intense rainfall could inundate low-lying and urban areas, trigger flash floods and riverine flooding in some catchments, and cause water to flow over roads and bridges.

🔴भारतीय हवामान खात्याने बृहन्मुंबई क्षेत्रात दिनांक ६ जुलै २०२६ रोजी अतिवृष्टीचा (रेड अलर्ट) इशारा दिला आहे.

🌧️ही बाब लक्षात घेता नागरिकांनी सतर्क राहावे. तसेच, बृहन्मुंबई महानगरपालिका व मुंबई पोलीस यांच्याद्वारे वेळोवेळी देण्यात येणाऱ्या सूचनांचे काटेकोरपणे पालन करावे.… pic.twitter.com/laRiJF0VWf

— माझी Mumbai, आपली BMC (@mybmc) July 6, 2026

It also cautioned that weak trees could be uprooted, old and poorly maintained structures could collapse, and landslides, mudslides and rock falls could occur in vulnerable areas.

The warning came a day after heavy rain claimed six lives and severely disrupted transport across Mumbai.

At least six people, including five children, were killed when a group of buildings collapsed in the Mankhurd area of Mumbai’s eastern suburbs on Sunday.

According to civic authorities, two to three multi-storey houses in a slum collapsed, leaving five young children and one woman dead.

Heavy rain also triggered landslides on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, forcing its closure and disrupting traffic between the two cities.

Television visuals showed broken construction slabs scattered across the road, while rainwater poured from the roof of a tunnel.

Flight operations were also affected, while several long-distance train services, including those operating between Mumbai and Pune, were cancelled.

Local media showed residents wading through waterlogged streets as schools and colleges remained closed on Monday.

Heavy rain has also caused trees to collapse on roads across Mumbai, killing at least three people since late last month, according to local media.

Mumbai, India’s financial capital, recorded more than 100 mm (3.9 inches) of rainfall, with some areas receiving up to 161 mm (6.3 inches).

Meanwhile, India’s weather office has forecast “a spell of very light to light” rain at many places in the national capital region on Monday.