Air, rail, road traffic hit as thunderstorm lashes Mumbai

Mumbai, June 10 (IANS) A thunderstorm accompanied by lightning and heavy rains disrupted air, road and rail traffic in Mumbai late on Monday night, officials said.All flight operations were suspended due to low visibility at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport around 10 p.m. and efforts were on to resume traffic from the alternative runway.A United Air Newark-Mumbai flight was diverted to Delhi, said official sources.Rail traffic was hit on the Central Railway's harbour line near Chunabhatti due to a technical snag in the overhead pentograph, hitting operations.Road traffic also slowed down on the Eastern Express Highway, Western Express Highway and arterial roads due waterlogging in some low-lying areas.Lakhs of commuters returning home from their offices were hit badly as they were caught virtually unprepared by the rains and stormy weather.Earlier this evening, the IMD had issued a forecast for thunderstorms over Mumbai, Thane and Raigad.
--IANS qn/kr