Mumbai, 25 Aug (HS): Following a brief pause, heavy rains started pouring in Mumbai

and the Konkan regions since Sunday night. The spirits of devotees who are

proceeding to their hometowns for Ganesh Fastival dampened with the rains after

a gap of four days.

The Meteorological Department had forecast heavy rains during the last

week of August in South and North Konkan. An orange alert has been sounded in

Mumbai, Thane, and Palghar districts for Tuesday and Wednesday. North Maharashtra

and the Vidarbha region may face rain and lightning in some parts. Nashik district

may get heavy rains.

Some areas in Mumbai, including Ghatkopar, Sion, Chembur, Bandra, and

Kurla, are flooded, resulting in traffic congestions at many places and disrupting

the local train services.

The Met office has predicted heavy rains in Konkan and Goa from August

25 to 30, in Central Maharashtra from August 27 to 30, with the possibility of very

heavy rains in Konkan and Goa on August 28.

The Ganesh Festival celebrations beginning August 27 may be affected due to

heavy rains.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Ajay Vasant Mardikar