Mumbai Airport flooding: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj facing major delays

Relentless rain in Mumbai has brought chaos to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), according to reports. Airlines have confirmed major delays for passengers, but the airport has not yet confirmed the reports of it being shut down, which are being circulated on social media.

Sandeep Chavan Jinturkar posted a video of the flooding on X, showing water coming halfway up a plane's tyres and above the lights on several vehicles. He said: "Mumbai Airport closed." IndiGo, SpiceJet, and Air India have issued travel advisories for passengers flying out of Mumbai, due to the heavy rainfall and waterlogging in the city. Routes to the airport are flooded, leading to sluggish traffic and operational challenges. Delays in flight departures and arrivals are expected, and passengers are advised to check their flight status via the IndiGo app or website. The airport says on its website that it continues to "operate without any disruption".

According to the Hindustan Times, flights at the Mumbai Airport are seeing an average delay of 40 minutes. The paper said that this afternoon, eight flights had to go around, and three were diverted, making a total of 17 go-arounds and 11 diversions.

Several parts of Mumbai received more than 200mm rainfall in the last 24 hours, with the eastern suburbs reporting the highest downpour at 255.5mm, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The rain has been caused by a 'cloudburst', when a cloud bursts and a large amount of rain falls in a short period, usually over 100mm in an hour over 12 square miles. They are sudden and violent, often leading to widespread destruction and deaths.

A red alert has been issued by the IMD, leading schools, colleges, government, and semi-government buildings to close. The IMD has also urged private organisations to close their offices, and police have asked people to not leave their homes unless necessary.

The red alert cautioned of severe weather, with heavy rainfall accompanied by gusty winds of 40-50 km/h, occasionally reaching up to 60 km/h. The warning covers Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, Raigad, and the Ghats of Pune.

At least 10 people have died in the flooding today, with six more having been killed in the disaster in previous days. Hundreds have been displaced after being evacuated from their homes by emergency services.