Thane city saw an unprecedented flood on Monday, August 18, 2025, as it received more than 100 mm of rain in a record six hours from 10 AM to 3 PM. The heavy spell reduced the city to a virtual standstill as it led to extensive waterlogging, extreme traffic jams, and major civic dislocations.
Civic Disruptions And Infrastructure Impact
The torrential rain caused various incidents in Thane and its surrounding regions. In Kalyan East’s Netivali, a building wall collapsed, but no one was hurt. In Dombivli, floodwaters swept through the premises of the local police station, which was in disarray.
#WATCH | Maharashtra | Heavy rain lashes parts of Thane leading to waterlogging in several areas
(Visuals from Vandana ST Depo) pic.twitter.com/Zf0m4klfse
— ANI (@ANI) August 18, 2025
Gaumukh along Ghodbunder Road was among the worst-hit places, where rainwater pouring down from the surrounding hills inundated the arterial road. Added to poor drainage and scores of potholes, traffic flow came to a slow crawl, with travellers stuck for hours. “The traffic was already crawling due to waterlogging, and the potholes made it nearly impossible to drive without getting stuck. For regular commuters, it has become a nightmare,” said Sharad Kulkarni, a driver stranded on Ghodbunder Road.
Widespread Waterlogging And Commuter Woes
Several other regions in Thane experienced heavy waterlogging, such as Vandana Talkies, Wagle Estate, Mumbra-Kausa, Diva, Shahad, Bhiwandi, Mankoli Naka, Anjurphata, Shilphata, Wimco Naka of Ambernath, and Majiwada near the Shanti Sadan building. TMC officials agreed that there were no reports of injuries in these accidents, and complaints have been passed on to respective departments for further action.
Heavy rains lash Thane ..
Kalwa East reels under waist-deep water, locals use boats to ferry schoolkids after schools shut for the afternoon. Residents allege no immediate help from authorities. #ThaneRains #MumbaiRains pic.twitter.com/a31bLAsCC4
— Nishikant Karlikar (@NishikantkTOI) August 18, 2025
The heavy downpours badly affected everyday life for city residents. Office travellers were stuck in long delays on their way to work, while small businessmen and street vendors suffered huge losses in business due to a serious drop in customer traffic. Traffic jams spread beyond Ghodbunder Road, with the Shahad bridge heading to Ulhasnagar also seeing very slow movement of vehicles due to aggravation by huge potholes and continuous rain.
Forecast Predicts Continued Heavy Rainfall
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted further heavy rain over Thane district up to August 20. Although the city witnessed sporadic showers since Saturday, Monday’s rain was recorded as the highest this monsoon season so far, highlighting the gravity of the situation.