Maharashtra was hit by ferocious rain on Monday, July 6, 2026, that brought rail and road traffic between Mumbai and Pune to a near-standstill while landslides and a building collapse claimed several lives. The situation grew so severe that authorities were forced to shut all schools and colleges in Mumbai, Pune, Thane and Palghar, adjourn both houses of the state legislature for the day, and have Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis personally take charge from the disaster control room.
Landslides at Bhor Ghat bring rail traffic to a complete halt
A landslide in the Karjat-Lonavala Bhor Ghat section early Monday completely jammed the Mumbai-Pune rail line. Central Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Swapnil Nila said one landslide occurred near Thakurwadi in the ghat section, while a second landslide on the middle line between Khandala and Monkey Hill was recorded around 3:05 am. With all three railway lines affected, Central Railway was forced to cancel several long-distance trains, divert others, and hold many mid-route under control.
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav personally reviewed the disruption and directed officials to restore operations as quickly as possible. "I have assessed the situation arising from the heavy landslide in the Mumbai-Pune ghat section and the large boulders that fell on the tracks," he said. He added that restoration teams were fully geared up, and given the possibility of more heavy rain that day, he instructed officials of both Western Railway and Central Railway to work together and restore all train services at the earliest.
Western Railway fared no better on its own. Heavy rain and severe waterlogging submerged tracks at several stations across Mumbai and south Gujarat, leaving more than 20 long-distance trains stranded mid-route. More than 40 train services were affected through the day. Western Railway officials said services were hit hardest between the Vasai Road-Virar and Saphale-Palghar sections due to waterlogging. By 1:50 pm, at least 22 long-distance trains were being controlled at various stations including Virar, Vangaon, Palghar, Dahanu Road and Valsad. A Western Railway spokesperson said at least eight trains were retimed, ten were cancelled, and several others were diverted or terminated short of their destination. Visuals from Nalasopara showed railway tracks completely submerged in floodwater, leaving stranded passengers visibly distressed.
Mankhurd chawl collapse kills six, including five children
Around 8:30 pm on Sunday, July 5, 2026, amid heavy rain, two to three tenements of a three-storey building in the Janata Nagar chawl in Mumbai's Mankhurd area suddenly collapsed. The BMC confirmed that six people died in the collapse, including five children. A rescue operation to clear the debris and pull out anyone trapped continued at the site.
Falling trees and a landslide claim more lives
Around 12:40 pm on Sunday, a tree fell on a shop near a Hindi BMC school in the Naupada area of Kurla West. The victim, Yunus Kundawala, was pulled from the debris and rushed to Fauzia Hospital, where doctors declared him dead. Mayor Ritu Tawde visited the spot and announced immediate financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh for the deceased's family. In a separate incident the same day, an 18 year old riding a motorcycle in Aarey Colony in Goregaon East was killed when a tree branch fell on him. With these two deaths, the toll from tree-fall accidents in the city since June 30 has risen to three in under a week.
Early Monday, another tragedy unfolded in the remote village of Patan in Pune district's Maval taluka. A landslide struck a residential house, burying three members of a single family under the debris. As soon as word reached officials, the district information office sought immediate help from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and a special 30 member team from the 5th battalion stationed in Pune was rushed to the site. The Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) also launched a search and rescue operation. Hours later, one body was recovered from the debris, while the other two family members remained missing and the search continued. An NDRF official said, "One body has been recovered from the debris, and the search for the other two people is underway."
Figures on the overall rain toll also emerged through the day. Before the Maharashtra Legislative Council was adjourned, Disaster Management Minister Girish Mahajan said Mumbai and the neighbouring districts of Palghar and Raigad had received record breaking rainfall, and that 13 people had died in rain related incidents over the past three to four days. Separately, Congress MLA Amin Patel told the Assembly that 10 people had died in rain related incidents in Mumbai alone over the past seven days. The opposition demanded a thorough investigation into these incidents and strict action against those responsible.
Schools and colleges shut in Mumbai, Pune, Thane and Palghar; exams postponed
With the spell of heavy rain in the region showing no sign of letting up, authorities ordered all government, private and municipal run schools and colleges in Mumbai, Pune, Thane and Palghar to remain closed on Monday. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said in a release issued Sunday evening that the decision was taken prioritising student safety. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an 'orange alert' for the city, forecasting heavy rain along with strong winds. The BMC clarified that government and private offices would continue to function normally, though citizens were urged to step out only if absolutely necessary.
Following the IMD's warning, the University of Mumbai also took the precautionary step of postponing all examinations scheduled for July 6. New dates will be announced soon. The decision came as continuous rain left several parts of the city waterlogged, with the university saying student safety was its topmost priority.
The crisis was not confined to Maharashtra alone. The Odisha government also placed the entire state on high alert on Monday as the spell of continuous rain showed no sign of easing on its third day. According to the Revenue Department, schools and colleges remained closed in the districts of Cuttack, Kandhamal, Sambalpur, Sonepur and Bargarh. The IMD issued an 'orange' warning for the districts of Bargarh, Sambalpur, Angul, Sonepur, Boudh, Nuapada and Bolangir, forecasting heavy to extremely heavy rain through the day and signalling people to be ready to take immediate necessary action. A 'yellow' warning was issued for Cuttack, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Deogarh, Dhenkanal, Kendujhar, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nabarangpur and Nayagarh districts, forecasting the possibility of heavy rain and asking people to stay alert.
Pune-Mumbai Expressway, old highway and the Mumbai-Goa route shut down
The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) said in a post on X that traffic in both directions, Pune to Mumbai and Mumbai to Pune, had been completely halted until further orders. The corporation requested citizens to avoid any travel between the two cities until fresh guidelines were issued, and advised those already planning trips to postpone them and keep track of traffic advisories issued by government agencies.
Police said on Monday that vehicular movement on both the Pune-Mumbai Expressway and the old Pune-Mumbai highway had been completely stopped because of excessive rain, flooding and landslides. The administration urged citizens not to travel between Pune and Mumbai until further orders, as the situation was not safe. According to police, flood like conditions had developed in several parts of the Mawal and Tamhini ghats, affecting the alternate routes connecting the two cities as well.
Similarly, a landslide near Chiplun on the Mumbai-Goa highway brought vehicular movement in both directions to a complete halt for more than 12 hours. The debris clearing operation moved at an extremely slow pace because of continuous rain. The blockage occurred in the Khawti area near Chiplun, where traffic remained completely stalled while officials worked to reopen the route.
After the Patalganga river's water level rose and flooded a stretch of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway near Khalapur Food Mall, opposition leader Milind Narvekar demanded immediate intervention from the Maharashtra government to clear the route. Sharing a video of the submerged road on his social media account on Monday, July 6, 2026, he said, "This will help restore traffic on the expressway." Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also said that parts of the Ahmedabad-Mumbai Expressway had to be closed because of water accumulation at construction sites, and that restoration work was underway there.
Administration swings into action: work from home advised, construction halted
The State Disaster Management Authority issued fresh guidelines in view of the continuing heavy rain in Mumbai. The government appealed to private sector employees to work from home wherever possible. Non essential government offices operated for only half a day on Monday. Citizens were advised to stay indoors and avoid stepping out without reason.
Following a 'red' alert for extremely heavy rain and strong winds, the BMC on Monday directed developers and contractors to suspend hazardous construction activities and ensure strict safety measures at all project sites. The civic body stressed that compliance with the advisory was mandatory, and that the safety of workers, neighbouring residents and the general public was paramount. In the advisory issued to developers, architects, licensed surveyors, contractors, project managers and site engineers, the civic body asked them to inspect scaffolding, tower cranes, material hoists, safety nets, formwork, tin sheets and other temporary structures to ensure they were stable and securely fastened. The BMC also directed that loose material kept on upper floors, rooftops and elevated platforms be removed or firmly secured to prevent accidents during strong winds.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis chaired a meeting at the disaster control room in Mantralaya and addressed a press conference after reviewing the flood situation. He said the spell of torrential rain was likely to continue until July 8 and that the state's administrative machinery was on high alert. He warned that a cloudburst like situation could develop in parts of Nashik on Tuesday. "Weather conditions need to be monitored continuously until July 8. A cloudburst like event could occur in parts of Nashik tomorrow. We are keeping a close watch on the situation and all agencies have been put on alert," he said. He appealed to citizens to avoid unnecessary travel and stay off the roads, as the administration was busy dealing with landslides, swollen rivers and rescue operations. The Chief Minister said several major rivers, including the Savitri, in the Western Ghats and Raigad district had crossed the danger mark because of excessive rain. Desilting efforts had prevented floodwater from entering nearby towns, but landslides had severely disrupted traffic. He added that a high tide expected later in the day in Palghar district could worsen waterlogging further if rain resumed.
Assembly and Legislative Council adjourned as opposition protests
The proceedings of the Maharashtra Assembly were adjourned for the day on Monday because of heavy rain in Mumbai. Meanwhile, the opposition staged a protest on the Assembly steps over the deaths caused by rain in the state. Congress MLA Amin Patel said that 10 people had died in rain related incidents in Mumbai alone over the past seven days. The opposition demanded a thorough investigation into these incidents and strict action against those found responsible.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis informed the House that 350 trees had been uprooted in Mumbai in the preceding 24 hours. He said the government would respond in detail to the opposition's demand for a thorough investigation into the rain related incidents and deaths. The Chief Minister also appealed to Mumbai residents to stay indoors after the afternoon, since strong winds were forecast for the city.
Alongside the Assembly, the Maharashtra Legislative Council's proceedings were also adjourned for the day on Monday. Before the upper house was adjourned, Disaster Management Minister Girish Mahajan said Mumbai and the neighbouring districts of Palghar and Raigad had recorded record breaking rainfall, and that 13 people had died in rain related incidents over the past three to four days.
Uprooted trees, collapsed walls and blown off school sheds in Thane and Palghar
Officials said a firefighter suffered severe leg injuries in Thane city while removing a large uprooted tree following heavy rain and strong winds. In other incidents, a large hoarding and two walls collapsed. Heavy rain led to a total of 186 emergency complaints being registered across Thane city, including 110 trees falling, 38 branches breaking, waterlogging at four locations, the collapse of two security walls, and one slab collapse.
In the neighbouring district of Palghar, officials said strong winds blew off tin roof sheds at a residential school and uprooted trees, though all 350 students at the institution were reported safe. Rescue teams and civic bodies in both Thane and Palghar districts remained on high alert as rainwater entered several homes in low lying areas. During the same spell of rain, part of the Morya Gosavi Ganpati temple in Pimpri-Chinchwad was seen submerged in floodwater.
Air travel disrupted too, Nagpur's minister and MLAs stranded
Heavy rain in Mumbai also disrupted air travel, leaving a minister and several MLAs from Nagpur stranded at the airport as they were unable to reach the state capital on Monday for the monsoon session of the Maharashtra legislature. State Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and several MLAs had to cancel their travel plans after flights were called off because of the bad weather.
BJP MLA Sameer Meghe told reporters that his 10:10 am IndiGo flight from Nagpur to Mumbai could not depart from the state capital, leaving the group in limbo before they eventually decided to postpone their trip. BJP MLA Praveen Datke said he decided to put off his travel to avoid the disruption caused by the rain, since it was safer to wait until the next day. Congress MLA Vikas Thakre voiced his frustration over the uncertainty around flight timings and the fear of being stranded in Mumbai.
Officials said five flights bound for Mumbai were diverted to other airports by 3:30 pm because of the heavy rain in the metropolis.
Warkaris told to stay away from flood hit Alandi
The Pune district administration on Monday appealed to Warkaris and devotees not to enter Alandi, after the swollen Indrayani river submerged all four bridges connecting the temple town ahead of Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj's upcoming Palkhi procession. Thousands of pilgrims were expected to reach the town for the procession on July 8, prompting officials to declare the town inaccessible and appeal to those already on the way to prioritise their own safety amid the flooding.
"All four bridges over the Indrayani river, which provide access to Alandi, have gone under due to flooding. It is currently not safe to travel to this town," the administration said in a release. It also appealed to Warkaris and devotees who had already begun their journey to stay put at their current locations and avoid entering the town until further instructions were issued.
Rain wreaks havoc in Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh too
Beyond Maharashtra and Odisha, several other parts of the country also reeled under heavy rain. Visuals from Kishtwar in Jammu and Kashmir showed vehicles stranded after a flash flood triggered by a cloudburst.
Parts of Himachal Pradesh received moderate to heavy rain overnight, triggering floods and blocking major roads in the Chamba and Kullu districts. The Chamba-Tissa road was blocked after a flash flood in the Pangola nullah in the Churah subdivision of Chamba district, while traffic was disrupted on the Larji-Sainj road in Kullu district after flooding in the Pagal nullah. Officials said Jogindernagar in Mandi district recorded the highest rainfall at 97 mm, followed by Kangra at 74.8 mm, Palampur at 35.4 mm, Bharwain at 34 mm, Sarahan at 32.5 mm, Rohru at 30 mm, and Dharamshala at 27.2 mm.
Rajasthan too recorded heavy to very heavy rain in different parts during the 24 hours ending Monday morning, with Sri Madhopur in Sikar district logging the highest rainfall at 75 mm. Light to moderate rain continued at several other places in the state. Jaipur received up to 40 mm of rain, while Udaipur, Jhalawar, Baran, Sirohi and several other districts also recorded moderate to heavy rainfall. The southwest monsoon is expected to remain active over parts of the Jaipur, Bharatpur, Kota, Udaipur and Ajmer divisions over the next five to seven days, with rain likely across most areas. Heavy to very heavy rain is expected at isolated places in southeastern Rajasthan between July 6 and 9.
In Chhattisgarh, heavy rain continued for a third consecutive day on Monday, flooding low lying areas and disrupting traffic. Officials said the IMD had issued a warning of extremely heavy rain across the state over the next 24 hours. Several rivers, including the Shivnath and the Kharun, are in spate, prompting the SDRF to be placed on high alert, with teams carrying out multiple rescue operations to evacuate stranded people. Continuous rain since Saturday evening has disrupted normal life in Raipur, Durg, Bhilai, Dhamtari, Gariaband and other towns, where several residential colonies and roads remain submerged.
