Vehicular and rail traffic in Mumbai resumed on Thursday, a day after heavy rains battered the city, inundating low-lying areas, halting local trains in their tracks and forcing the diversion of at least 14 incoming flights

Rains stopped in most parts of the city on Thursday morning though skies were overcast. Local trains, considered the lifeline of Mumbai, were running normally though some services were slightly delayed, as per officials

Buses of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking also hit the roads since early morning

The India Meteorological Department earlier issued a red alert for Mumbai and its adjoining districts Thane, Palghar, and Raigad for Thursday morning

The civic body said the IMD has predicted "thunderstorm accompanied with lightning and heavy to very heavy rainfall with gusty winds reaching 40-50 kmph" in its weather update issued at 8 am

The extremely heavy rainfall in Mumbai on Wednesday prompted the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to announce a holiday for all schools and colleges on Thursday

Schools and colleges in Thane, Palghar, Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad were also closed on Thursday after heavy rains

The Mumbai civic body and police have advised people in the city and surrounding areas to stay indoors as much as possible

After heavy rains on Wednesday, some roads, including in Sonapur area of Bhandup, virtually turned into rivers of fast-moving water as several areas received more than 100 mm of rain in five hours of evening