Mumbai Braces for More Rain and High Waves, IMD Issues Alerts
Mumbai, India’s financial hub, continues to face heavy rainfall, causing disruptions across the city, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting more showers and issuing warnings for high waves along the coast. The persistent downpour, which began Monday morning, has led to waterlogging in low-lying areas, traffic congestion, and delays in public transport, including suburban trains and metro services.
The IMD has upgraded its weather advisory for Mumbai to an orange alert, signaling the likelihood of heavy to very heavy rainfall in isolated areas until 8:30 AM Tuesday. Neighboring districts, including Thane, Palghar, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg in the Konkan region, as well as Amravati, Bhandara, Gondia, and Nagpur in Vidarbha, are also under an orange alert for similar conditions. Raigad district faces a red alert, with the IMD predicting extremely heavy rainfall in isolated spots, particularly in the ghat areas of Pune and Satara.
According to civic officials, Mumbai recorded significant rainfall in the 24 hours ending at 8 AM Monday, with the island city averaging 95 mm, while the eastern and western suburbs saw 58 mm and 75 mm, respectively. Specific areas like Wadala and Matunga reported even higher amounts, with Wadala recording 161.4 mm and Matunga 147.55 mm, as per automatic weather stations. The IMD’s Colaba observatory noted 100 mm, and Santacruz recorded 86 mm during the same period.
The heavy rainfall is attributed to the southwest monsoon’s advance into Konkan, central Maharashtra, and parts of Gujarat, with an upper air cyclonic circulation over the Arabian Sea potentially forming a low-pressure zone, which could intensify showers in the coming days. The IMD has also forecasted high tides, predicting a 3.44-meter tidal wave at 3:31 AM Tuesday and a 4.21-meter wave at 3:31 PM Monday, raising concerns about coastal flooding, especially in low-lying areas.
Air travel has been affected, with IndiGo and SpiceJet issuing advisories warning of possible disruptions to flights to and from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport due to the adverse weather. Local train and metro services faced delays, and a road collapse in Navi Mumbai’s Vashi Plaza Commercial Complex highlighted the strain on infrastructure.
The IMD advises residents to avoid coastal and low-lying areas and urges fishermen to refrain from venturing into the sea along the Konkan coast until June 18 due to squally weather with wind speeds of 40-50 kmph, gusting up to 60 kmph. Authorities, including the Mumbai Police and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), have called on citizens to stay cautious and follow weather updates.
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For Tuesday, the IMD predicts cloudy skies with moderate to heavy rainfall in Mumbai and its suburbs, with temperatures expected to range between a high of 32°C and a low of 25°C. Relative humidity was recorded at 91% at 5:30 AM Monday, adding to the discomfort caused by the wet conditions.
As Mumbai navigates these challenging weather conditions, residents are urged to stay informed and take necessary precautions to ensure safety amid the ongoing monsoon deluge.