Subhechcha Ganguly 
Mumbai and several districts of Maharashtra continued to reel under incessant rains for the third straight day on Monday, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing red and orange alerts across the state.
As of 6:32 am on September 29, Nashik, Palghar, Thane, Mumbai City, Mumbai Suburban, Raigad and Pune were placed under a red alert, with forecasts of extremely heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, and gusty winds. Nandurbar, Jalgaon, Bhandara, Ratnagiri, Satara, and Sindhudurg were put under an orange alert, while several Vidarbha and Marathwada districts remained on yellow alert.
Since Saturday night, Mumbai has been witnessing heavy downpours. On Sunday, intermittent showers lashed the city and suburbs, with some areas recording over 50 mm of rainfall in just five hours. The BMC reported 47.47 mm in the island city, 53.61 mm in western suburbs, and 37.92 mm in eastern suburbs between 8 am and 1 pm. Thane and Palghar too recorded heavy rainfall, with rescue teams evacuating 262 people from Bhiwandi in the past 24 hours.
Amid the worsening situation, the Palghar district administration announced a holiday for all schools—government, private, aided institutions, Anganwadis, Zilla Parishad, and municipal schools—on Monday. District Collector Manik Gursal issued the order to ensure student safety. Teachers and staff have been directed to stay alert and assist in relief measures if required.
Authorities have advised residents to avoid unnecessary travel and remain cautious, as heavy rain activity is likely to persist across parts of Maharashtra until October 3.
