Mumbai residents told to abandon cars as heavy rain batters city

(CNN)Heavy rainfall paralyzed parts of the Indian financial capital of Mumbai on Tuesday, as traffic chaos sparked by flooding streets prompted officials to warn residents to abandon stranded vehicles and remain indoors.

An unrelenting downpour has battered low-lying parts of the city since the early hours of Tuesday, with some areas receiving almost 12 inches of rain. Weather forecasts suggested that the rain will continue over the next 48 hours before it begins to decrease.

Vehicles gingerly made their way through waterlogged roadways as residents sloshed through flooded streets -- navigating waist-high water in some areas -- after being sent home early from offices and schools.

Residents are seen wading through a waterlogged street (above) while a bus tries to negotiatate another flooded road (below) in Mumbai on Tuesday.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged people in affected areas to be safe and "take all essential precautions in the wake of the heavy rain," in a series of posts on Twitter.

The Indian Navy has put flood rescue teams on standby at multiple locations across Mumbai in anticipation of worsening conditions.

People continued with celebrations for Ganesh Chaturthi, a Hindu festival, in the city on Tuesday despite the persistent downpour.

Thousands of commuters faced difficult journeys home with the heavy monsoon rains leaving some stranded or facing delays at train stations. So far, no casualties have been reported.

In the Parel neighborhood of Mumbai, Piyush Jain posted a video on Twitter showing inflatable dinghies being used to ferry people across stricken roads.

News Courtesy: www.cnn.com