Mumbai monsoon: Heavy rain and flooding forces millions from their homes as death toll tops 1,000 across India, Nepal and Bangladesh

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Heavy rain brought India's financial capital Mumbai to a virtual standstill on Tuesday, flooding streets, causing transport chaos and prompting warnings to stay indoors.

Dozens of flights and local train services were cancelled as rains lashed the coastal city of nearly 20 million people.

Floods have killed more than 1,000 people in India, Nepal and Bangladesh in recent weeks and forced millions from their homes in the region's worst monsoon disaster in recent years.

School run: People walk along a flooded street during heavy rain showers in Mumbai

Floods bring Mumbai to a virtual standstill

As the meteorological department warned that the Mumbai rains would continue for the next 24 hours many offices sent staff home early, fearing a repeat of 2005 floods that killed more than 1,000 people.

'I haven't been able to travel and had to cancel all my plans,' said researcher Rajesh Prabhakar, who was stranded on the outskirts of the city after flooding forced the cancellation of rail services.

'Many of my friends are stranded at railway stations... this is a reminder of the 2005 floods.'

Environmentalists blame frequent flooding in Mumbai on unscrupulous development that blocks drains.

Electricity, water supply, communication networks and public transportation were totally shut down during the 2005 catastrophe.

India's National Disaster Response Force said it was taking all precautionary measures.

Heavy rains hit Mumbai city resulting into waterlooging into low lying areas and on railway tracks resulting into complete stopage of Mumbai's daily life

Heavy rain, poor drainage bring Mumbai to grinding halt

Piya Hingorani in Mumbai

Mumbai has been experiencing non-stop rainfall over the last two days. However, on Tuesday, the downpour worsened bringing the city to a standstill.

The suburbs of Kurla, Sion, Matunga and Parel experienced waterlogging, bringing trains to a halt. 

Trains on the Harbour line were suspended too due to heavy rainfall leading to water logging at Wadala station.

The Western line, however was the only line which was in working condition, even though trains were moving at a slow pace, due to a signal failure at Bandra station. 

Mumbai has been experiencing non-stop rainfall over the last two days

Waterlogging at Elphinstone and Lower Parel brought movement of local trains to a complete halt.

Later, trains were plying from Andheri to Virar. The woes didn't stop there. The massive downpour slowed the city's cars and buses as well, and commuters were stranded in the central suburbs due to floodlike situations.

Traffic was halted at the Eastern Express Highway for more than nine hours due to do waterlogging at Hindmata, Sion Circle and Dadar TT.

Speaking exclusively to India Today TV, Chief Minister Devender Fadnavis said, 'The Met department had warned us about rain, but we didn't expect this kind of downpour.

Mumbai saw an average rainfall of 260 mm

The Mumbai-Pune expressway has been closed and driving into Mumbai has been suspended to avoid traffic coming into the city

'Through CCTV cameras installed at various parts of the city, we are sending out images to all. We have been reaching out to  people through Twitter and WhatsApp, and the disaster management cells are working in sync with each other to ease out traffic.'

Mumbai saw an average rainfall of 260 mm. The state school and education department has declared that schools and colleges across Mumbai will be shut as a precautionary measure.

The Mumbai-Pune expressway has been closed and driving into Mumbai has been suspended to avoid traffic coming into the city.