At least seven people lost their lives, five have been reported missing, over 800 villages were affected, and four lakh hectares of cropland were destroyed due to heavy rainfall in Maharashtra. Rescue and relief operations were underway in at least four villages, even as 206 villagers were rescued by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and the armed forces in Nanded district. Several houses were damaged, and livestock was lost due to heavy rainfall.
The downpour brought Mumbai to a standstill after 177 mm of rain was reported within six hours on Monday (August 18, 2025). Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis held a review meeting of all State government officials at the disaster control headquarters in the State Secretariat and ordered the preparedness of the administrative machinery. “Between August 18 and August 21, there are chances of heavy rainfall. Around 16 districts are on red or orange alert,” Mr. Fadnavis said after the briefing.
At several places, including Mumbai and Thane, schools and colleges announced a holiday on Tuesday (August 19, 2025) in view of the red alert.
Panchanamas have been ordered in several districts. The Maharashtra government is also in touch with the governments of Telangana and Karnataka in order to discharge excess water from dams to avoid flooding in Maharashtra. The situation at Almatti dam is being reviewed closely, Mr. Fadnavis said.
Mumbai paralysed
Due to the heavy downpour of over 200 mm since Sunday (August 17, 2025) evening, and 177 mm within six hours on Monday (August 18, 2025), life was affected in the financial capital. Several flights were diverted, schools shut, buses rerouted, and local trains delayed. The Brihanmumbai Metropolitan Corporation (BMC) announced a holiday for schools and colleges only by noon on Monday (August 18, 2025), leading to chaos as most schools assemble in the morning.
Severe waterlogging was reported in several low-lying areas as vehicles remained stuck in traffic snarls for hours, leading to transport disruptions. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for the city and its neighbouring districts. Authorities appealed to citizens to avoid unnecessary travel. Offices were asked to let employees leave early.
The rains triggered several incidents. A protection wall constructed by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority collapsed in Chembur’s New Ashok Nagar on Sunday (August 18, 2025), damaging seven shanties but causing no injuries. In another incident, a school bus carrying six children and two staff members was stranded in knee-deep water in Matunga for more than half an hour before being rescued by the police. Local train services, considered Mumbai’s lifeline, were running late by 10-20 minutes, with waterlogging on some Central Railway and Harbour Line tracks causing delays. Bus services of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking were diverted at several locations, including Chembur, Sion, Wadala, and Hindmata.
At Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, nine flights had to attempt “go-arounds” before landing, while one was diverted to Surat till noon. Airlines, including IndiGo, SpiceJet, and Akasa Air, advised passengers to leave early for the airport and check flight updates regularly.
Maximum damage in Marathwada
Over two days, seven people lost their lives due to rain and rain-related incidents. Of them, six casualties were from Marathwada. In Nanded, three people died, while two people died in Beed and one in Hingoli.
“Maximum number of places on red alert are in Konkan (coastal Maharashtra). Several rivers in the State have crossed danger level. In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division, Beed, Nanded, and Latur are on high alert. Flooding is likely there. In Mukhed in Nanded, there was a cloudburst-like situation with 206 mm rainfall in a short span. 150 cattle are likely to have died. Five people have been swept away. Many people were stuck. NDRF, SDRF, military have reached for rescue operations; 206 people have been rescued from one village.
Rescue operations are on in four other villages. In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar region alone, 800 villages have been affected, one lakh hectares of farmland has been affected. In Nagpur region, Chandrapur and Gadchiroli are on orange alert, and south Gadchiroli has a flood-like situation. In Amravati region, Akola has a flood-like situation. Two lakh hectares of cropland has been affected in this region,” Mr. Fadnavis said.
The IMD has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places, and extremely heavy showers at isolated locations in Mumbai, Thane, and Raigad till Tuesday (August 19, 2025). Ratnagiri was also placed on red alert, while Palghar, Sindhudurg, Aurangabad, Hingoli, Jalgaon, Jalna, Nanded, and Parbhani remained under orange alert.
Published – August 18, 2025 10:38 pm IST
