BMC has clarified that the IMD has given an orange alert for August 20. Heavy to very heavy rain has been predicted in parts of Mumbai as well as neighbouring Thane and Palghar districts.
Updated: August 20, 2025 7:45 AM IST
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Tuesday dismissed a viral message claiming that all schools and colleges in Mumbai would be closed on Wednesday because of a ‘red’ rain alert. The civic body made it clear that it has not announced any holiday for August 20. “This message is fake. The BMC has not shared any such information on its official social media handles,” the civic body said in a post on X.
The BMC also shared a screenshot of the fake message, which was made to look like an official update from its verified account. The message was widely circulated on WhatsApp and other social media platforms, saying schools and colleges across Mumbai and its suburbs would remain closed on August 20 due to a red alert from the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
हा संदेश खोटा आहे. बृहन्मुंबई महानगरपालिकेने आपल्या सोशल मीडियावरून अशी कोणतीही माहिती प्रसारित केलेली नाही.
This message is fake. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has not issued any such information through its official social media platforms.#MyBMCUpdates… pic.twitter.com/hl0FYRouew
— माझी Mumbai, आपली BMC (@mybmc) August 19, 2025
However, Schools and colleges, both government and private, will stay shut in Thane and Navi Mumbai on Wednesday (August 20) as heavy monsoon rains continue to affect daily life. The holiday announcement was made late in the evening. Earlier, the Panvel Municipal Corporation also issued a circular declaring a holiday for schools under its limits.
The civic body clarified that the IMD has issued an orange alert for August 20, warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall at some places in Mumbai, Thane and Palghar. A red alert has only been issued for Raigad district, predicting very heavy rain in parts of the region.
A red alert had already been issued for Vasai and Palghar due to a low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal. This low-pressure area will cause heavy rainfall. But where and how much rainfall is falling on it? A system has been set up to send alerts in this regard every three hours, said a government release.
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