Mumbai, Sep 23 (IANS): Heavy overnight rains lashed Mumbai and districts in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, seriously disrupting road and rail traffic, and affecting movement of people manning essential services, officials said here on Wednesday.

According to IMD, the city recorded over 12.20 cms rain while the suburbs notched over 27.50 cms rain most of it during the night.

The IMD Mumbai has forecast another wet day with heavy rain as the civic authorities urged people to avoid stepping out unless necessary.

Heavy water-logging was reported from the traditional flood-prone areas of central Mumbai like Sion, Matunga, Kurla, Chunabhatti, Mazagaon, Masjid Bunder and Byculla.

Besides several areas in the suburbs like Goregaon, Malad, Dahisar, Kurla, Ghatkopar, Mulund experienced waterlogging.

The Central Railway has suspended suburban services from Chhatapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus to Thane and Vashi. Special mail/express trains have been rescheduled, said CR Chief Spokesperson Shivaji Sutar.

Similarly, submerged tracks compelled the Western Railway to suspend all suburban services between Churchgate to Andheri.

"Heavy rains have been reported from Mumbai and Thane suburbs in last 12 hours with some places recording 150 mm plus rainfall," said KS Hosalikar, deputy director general of meteorology, IMD.

Mumbai's public bus service operator BEST has cancelled or diverted its operations in several routes.