After an unusually dry June with below-average rainfall and a delayed seasonal onset, Mumbai and surrounding areas are preparing for a strong return of monsoon activity in early July. Weather forecasts point to widespread and intense showers across the region, raising concerns about waterlogging, traffic chaos, and potential flooding in low-lying spots.
Officials have issued alerts for heavy to very heavy rainfall in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region over the coming days. Mumbai, Thane, and Palghar face an orange alert through July 4, signaling significant rain at isolated places. Neighbouring Raigad is under a red alert for July 2, indicating the possibility of extremely heavy rainfall in spots. This active phase is expected to be driven by a developing low-pressure system over the northwest Bay of Bengal around July 3, which is likely to boost monsoon flows over central India.
Recent heavy showers have already caused disruptions. In the 24 hours ending early Wednesday, Thane saw 138.6 mm of rain, triggering 54 emergency calls, including 21 tree falls, 12 branch collapses, waterlogging, a landslide, and structural damage. Across Mumbai, multiple trees and branches came down, particularly in western suburbs, leading to traffic snarls. One incident near DN Nagar Metro Station involved a fallen tree hitting a bus and nearby vehicles.
A tragic event unfolded in Chembur on Tuesday afternoon when a nearly 70-year-old peepul tree crashed onto a school van carrying about a dozen students from Universal High School. An 11-year-old boy, Vihaan Srivastava, was killed, and four other children were injured. The driver had attempted to move the vehicle to safety in the narrow lane but could not avoid the impact. Civic authorities noted the tree had been pruned earlier, though concerns were raised about possible root damage from recent road work.
ALSO READ : Mumbai Faces Severe Water Crisis: Reservoirs Down to Less Than 7%
In Thane, a 52-year-old pedestrian was hurt when a tree fell on him, and other incidents damaged parked vehicles. City data recorded 21 trees and 23 branches down in the past five days. Additional reports included boulders falling on a car on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, though no injuries occurred there.
Rainfall figures for the previous day showed 86 mm in the island city, 115 mm in eastern suburbs, and 85 mm in western areas, with continued showers through the night. June ended with notable deficits: observatories recorded around 77-81% of normal monthly totals, contributing to lower water levels in reservoirs. The fresh rains are expected to help reduce the seasonal shortfall while highlighting ongoing vulnerabilities in urban infrastructure.
Residents are advised to exercise caution during this period of intensified monsoon activity.
-
-
-
-
