India's financial capital Mumbai is limping back to normalcy after heavy rainfall and floods overwhelmed the city and its residents. With water gradually receding from the streets, transportation services – including the city's lifeline of local trains – is being restored.

Mumbai, a city in the western state of Maharashtra with a population of 18 million, is frequently hit by downpours during the monsoon season, and witnessed its worst floods since 2005 this year. Some parts of the city received as much as 300mm of rainfall on Tuesday (29 August) alone – 30 times more than the average. In terms of records, this is said to be the eighth-highest amount of rainfall in a single day in Mumbai in the last four decades.

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As a precautionary measure, schools and colleges remained closed on Wednesday (30 August) as more rains are expected.

Maharashtra's Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has advised residents to stay indoors unless it is for an emergency.

Extra buses and trains are also being operated by the government to ferry more passengers.

Flight operations – which were briefly disrupted – have resumed, but with delays. "All flights in Mumbai delayed today until morning due to rains... Delays of around half an hour," said Dhananjay Kumar, a spokesperson for India's state-run carrier Air India.

The rain has affected the power supply in several parts of the city as well. Meanwhile, Mumbai's famed Dabbawalas, who deliver more than 200,000 lunch bags to various office-goes across the city, officially suspended their operations on Wednesday due to the widespread disruption.

Security forces have also set up makeshift community kitchens to serve food to those stranded in the torrential rainfall.

At least five people have lost their lives in rain-related incidents so far, while several others are missing. Two children were among the three who were killed when a house collapsed due to the heavy rain.

A 59-year-old doctor went missing when he was returning to his house on Tuesday in his car, which broke down. His family suspect he could have been swallowed by a manhole after his umbrella was found nearby. Several others have also been reported missing.