Early monsoon rains flood Mumbai

dpa New Delhi Roads and markets were flooded and some buses and local trains stalled in Mumbai on Wednesday as annual monsoon rains hit India’s financial ...

dpaNew Delhi Roads and markets were flooded and some buses and local trains stalled in Mumbai on Wednesday as annual monsoon rains hit India’s financial hub, in a city already reeling from the Covid-19 pandemic.The monsoon reached Mumbai earlier than scheduled. The weather office has sounded a red alert for the city and neighbouring districts like Thane, Raigad and Palghar, with a forecast of further heavy showers, the next 48 hours.The flooding and rains affected the vaccination programme and also disrupted traffic, NDTV news channel reported.The city started partially opening up on Monday after weeks of lockdown due to the pandemic, which is now on the wane.Mumbai has reported more than 700,000 of India’s 2.9 million infections since March 2020, and 15,073 deaths.On Tuesday, the city reported 673 fresh infections, its lowest daily number since February 23, according to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).As of Monday, bus service has resumed and shops have reopened.Restaurants salons and spas have opened with 50-per-cent capacity.Experts had raised alarms that the pandemic could affect preparations for the annual monsoon rains. Some worried drains wouldn’t be cleared properly.Local television showed streets with flowing streams and stranded buses and cars.The BMC said it had to shut down a vaccination centre in the Byculla area of the city. Santa Cruz and Colaba were among the other areas affected.