*Mumbai Reels Under Heavy Rainfall*
Mumbai Weather Update:
The India Meteorological Department issued an 'orange' alert, heavy to very heavy rainfall, and a 'yellow' alert for the next day, anticipating heavy rain. This is because the city was seriously inundated yesterday with more than 300 mm of rain in less than six hours. Most of the roads and railway tracks were waterlogged.

Transportation Hit:
The heavy downpour caused waterlogging in several streets and seriously disrupted local train services. The Mumbai airport closed its runways and diverted flights because of the torrential rainfall and low visibility. According to Mumbai's municipal body, more than 300 mm of rain was recorded during 1:30 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. Additional heavy showers are likely to hit later the same morning.

Commuter Woes:
Motorists waded through knee-deep water that partly submerged vehicles at several spots, leading to heavy traffic on the Eastern and Western Express highways. Train services on the fast line of the main corridor between CSMT and Thane were coined off due to water logging, said Swapnil Nila, chief public relations officer of the CR. Suburban services plied on the slow line but were delayed, leading to overcrowding at major stations.

Railways Response: As the conditions turned inclement, officials asked citizens to refrain from any unnecessary travel. Heavy rain and high tide in the city disrupted the movement of local trains. Suburban trains on Western Railway were running up to 10 minutes late due to the presence of water above the rail level between Matunga Road and Dadar stations. High-capacity water pumps were brought in to clear off the tracks and provide commuters a smoother journey.

Airport Disruptions:
Due to heavy rains and low visibility, runway operations at Mumbai airport were suspended from 2:22 a.m. to 3:40 a.m.; consequently, 27 flights diversion to the airports in Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Indore, and others was reported. Weather-induced disruptions continued till morning, with departure flights delayed by over an hour, with priority given to arrivals, as hundreds of passengers remained stranded.

School Closures:
This was in view of the inclement weather, against which the Maharashtra state government declared a holiday on Monday for all schools in Mumbai, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg districts. Maharashtra School Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar announced the closure in the state legislative council, stating that the heavy rains have made this step inevitable.

Mumbai is still on high alert, as various authorities and citizens gird up their loins for yet more rainfall, and ensuing difficulties.