A thunderstorm accompanied by rain brought relief from intense summer heat in Mumbai and surrounding districts on Tuesday evening but disrupted suburban train services and slowed road traffic.Mumbai:
A sudden spell of thunderstorms and rain across Mumbai and nearby areas on Tuesday evening brought much-needed relief from the oppressive summer heat, but also disrupted suburban train operations and slowed down road traffic.Heavy showers lashed several western suburbs, including Borivali, Kandivali, Malad, Andheri and Bandra, while the eastern suburbs and parts of the island city recorded light to moderate rainfall. The change in weather followed a dust storm accompanied by gusty winds.
Neighbouring Thane and Raigad districts also experienced thunderstorms and rain. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a ‘nowcast’ warning at 9.35 pm, forecasting thunderstorms with lightning and moderate rain, along with gusty winds reaching speeds of 50-60 kmph, over isolated areas in Mumbai, Thane, Palghar and Nashik for the next few hours.
The weather led to delays of 15 to 20 minutes on both the Western and Central Railway lines, officials said. There were also reports of sparking on overhead electric wires in multiple areas. While some passengers reportedly jumped from halted trains out of panic, railway authorities did not confirm these incidents despite repeated queries. Western Railway said a piece of cloth was found entangled in the Overhead Equipment (OHE) on the Dahisar UP fast line, temporarily affecting train movement until safety checks were completed. “All train operations are normal now. Trains running properly,” a Western Railway spokesperson said. Central Railway reported multiple trippings of overhead wires, particularly in the Kalyan-Kasara section, adding to the delays.
