On Tuesday, August 19, 2025, Mumbai awoke to relentless downpours that brought India’s financial capital to a near standstill. As heavy rainfall lashed the city for a fourth consecutive day, the impact was felt everywhere—from shuttered schools and colleges to delayed flights and waterlogged roads, the city’s famed resilience was put to a severe test.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had sounded the alarm early, issuing a red alert for Mumbai and its surrounding regions. According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), “All schools and colleges in Mumbai (City and Suburbs) will remain closed tomorrow, 19th August 2025 (Tuesday). The India Meteorological Department has issued a Red Alert warning (extremely heavy rainfall), for Mumbai City and Suburbs tomorrow i.e. Tuesday, 19th August 2025.” The BMC’s declaration of a holiday for all government, private, and municipal educational institutions was swift and unequivocal, prioritizing the safety of students and staff as the city braced for another battering by the monsoon.
The IMD’s warnings extended beyond Mumbai, with red alerts for Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, and Karnataka, and orange alerts for Telangana, Chhattisgarh, and Kerala. The agency cautioned that, “Extremely heavy rainfall [is] very likely at isolated places over Konkan & Goa; Ghat areas of Madhya Maharashtra on 19th; Gujarat State on 19th & 20th August.” Mumbai, already saturated from days of rain, was at the epicenter of this weather event.
By the time dawn broke on August 19, Mumbai had received a staggering 177 millimeters of rainfall within a six to eight hour window. The result? Widespread waterlogging across the city’s arterial roads and low-lying neighborhoods. Areas like Andheri Subway and Lokhandwala Complex were inundated, with water pooling deep enough to disrupt traffic and strand commuters. The city’s famously robust local train network, often described as Mumbai’s lifeline, also suffered. Local trains were delayed by about 10 minutes, and the Central Railway’s Harbour Line experienced further disruptions due to water accumulation on tracks and a failure at track changing points between Kurla and Tilak Nagar stations, according to officials cited by PTI. However, despite these delays, there were no service suspensions—a testament to the determination of railway staff to keep the city moving, however slowly.
The impact of the rain was perhaps most acutely felt at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, where air traffic operations descended into chaos. According to reports compiled by The Times of India, there were a total of 11 go-around flights, including three repeat attempts, and five diversions on August 19. Arrival flights faced average delays of 30 minutes, while departures were held up by about 20 minutes. Typically, air traffic at Mumbai’s airport eases after midnight, but cascading delays and aircraft holding patterns meant that disruptions continued well past 2:30 am.
In response to the unfolding crisis, airlines scrambled to keep passengers informed and safe. IndiGo Airlines, one of India’s largest carriers, issued a travel advisory warning of “widespread waterlogging across key routes to the airport” and urged travelers to check their flight status via the IndiGo app or website before leaving home. The advisory acknowledged, “With Mumbai drenched in heavy showers, several routes to the airport are witnessing waterlogging and sluggish traffic. This has, in turn, led to operational challenges, with delays in both departures and arrivals and we truly regret the inconvenience this may cause. If you’re scheduled to travel, we recommend leaving a little earlier and keeping an eye on your flight status via our app or website.”
IndiGo emphasized its commitment to passenger safety, stating, “Our teams are closely monitoring the situation and working diligently to keep operations steady. Your safety, comfort, and peace of mind remain our priority, and we deeply value your patience and understanding.” The message was clear: while the airline was doing everything possible, the weather was in charge.
Other airlines followed suit. Akasa Air urged flyers to allow extra time to reach the airport, and SpiceJet echoed this advice, posting weather advisories for Mumbai-bound travelers and emphasizing the importance of checking flight status before heading out.
The city’s leadership was not silent in the face of adversity. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, addressing the public on Monday, August 18, warned of the severe weather conditions gripping the state, especially Mumbai. He noted, “In the last 2 days, Maharashtra has received widespread rainfall. Red Alert and Orange Alert have been issued for several districts. Even for the next three days, until 21st August, half of the districts in Maharashtra have either Red Alert or Orange Alert. We discussed the precautions that need to be taken due to this.” Fadnavis urged residents to take all necessary precautions, as more showers and high tides were forecasted in the coming days.
For many Mumbai residents, the deluge was all too familiar—a reminder of the city’s vulnerability to extreme weather events. Yet, the scale and persistence of this particular storm, coming as it did on the heels of days of heavy rain, tested both infrastructure and patience. Commuters navigated flooded streets, often wading through knee-deep water. Parents scrambled to rearrange plans as schools and colleges closed. Travelers faced an anxious wait as flight schedules unraveled. Through it all, the city’s spirit—equal parts stoic and resourceful—shone through, with neighbors helping neighbors and authorities working overtime to restore some semblance of normalcy.
The IMD’s red alert was not just a bureaucratic formality. It reflected the very real risk of “extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places,” which can mean flash floods, landslides, and severe traffic snarls. Officials and meteorologists alike emphasized the importance of heeding warnings, planning journeys carefully, and staying indoors where possible.
Despite the chaos, Mumbai’s essential services remained operational, albeit under strain. The city’s disaster management teams, municipal workers, and emergency responders were on the frontlines, clearing drains, redirecting traffic, and providing assistance to those stranded by the floodwaters. The BMC’s proactive closure of schools and colleges was widely seen as a prudent move, minimizing the risk to children and easing the burden on the city’s already-stressed transportation network.
Elsewhere in the region, the IMD’s warnings were also being taken seriously. Neighboring states like Gujarat, Goa, and Karnataka braced for their own bouts of torrential rain, while parts of Telangana, Chhattisgarh, and Kerala were placed on orange alert. The broader pattern underscored the interconnectedness of India’s monsoon weather system—and the challenge of keeping millions safe when nature turns fierce.
As the rain continued to fall, Mumbai’s residents once again demonstrated their trademark resilience. The city’s ability to cope with adversity, adapt to rapidly changing conditions, and support one another in times of crisis remains its greatest strength. While the waters will eventually recede and normal life will resume, August 19, 2025, will be remembered as another chapter in Mumbai’s long history of battling—and surviving—the monsoon’s might.
