Heavy showers in Mumbai

MUMBAI 8/8/20: In a revival of the southwest monsoon over the west coast, continuous rain has been lashing Mumbai and parts of Konkan since Sunday night. Recording over 1,400 mm, Mumbai experienced one of its heaviest showers of July. But now, more rain is expected over the maximum city all through this week. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has placed five districts, including Mumbai, on a red alert as intense rain is expected during the next few hours, and continuous rain till August 6.

SO WHAT IS CAUSING SUCH HEAVY RAIN?

Multiple and simultaneous favourable weather systems are presently active, which have revived the southwest monsoon. According to IMD bulletin on Wednesday morning, a cyclonic circulation lies over south Gujarat and neighbourhood at middle and upper troposphere levels. As a consequence, southwesterly monsoon flow has strengthened over the Arabian sea with southwesterly winds speed reaching 50-60 kmph along and off Konkan Coast at surface and lower tropospheric levels. In addition, the monsoon trough, which now lies at its normal position, is expected to shift 

southwards which will further intensify rainfall activity in the coming three to four days.

A day after heavy showers pounded Mumbai and neighbouring areas, the rain intensity reduced on Thursday morning and water receded in some flooded areas, leading to a gradual resumption of rain and road transport services, officials said. However, some areas in south Mumbai, which witnessed a record rain on Wednesday, were still water-logged, IMD said. The weather bureau has predicted further reduction in rainfall activity from Friday onwards. While some areas of south Mumbai were still inundated, water receded in most other parts of the city and suburbs, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said. According to BMC’s update till 8 am, areas like BPT Colony at Wadala, Nair Hospital in central Mumbai, Maharshi Karve Road and Sakkar Panchayat area in south Mumbai were still water-logged. Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday took stock of the state administration’s preparedness in the wake of the incessant heavy rains in Mumbai and other parts of the state, including Kolhapur where the Panchganga river was flowing close to the danger mark. A statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said Thackeray asked the authorities to remain alert and ensure citizens do not face hardships.

Over the 24 hours from Thursday to Friday, parts of Mumbai, Thane Navi Mumbai received moderate to heavy rain. However, the rain intensity in the suburbs and adjoining areas, like Navi Mumbai, was more. From August 10-11 again a further increase in rain is possible,” said K S Hosalikar, deputy directorgeneral (western region), IMD.

Meanwhile, on Friday, the total water stock in the seven catchment area lakes which cater to Mumbai was 6.7 lakh million litres (46% of the total required quantum)—a 5% rise from Thursday as big lakes like Modak Sagar and Middle Vaitarna finally saw rainfall in triple digits. The total required water stock is 14.5 lakh million litres by October 1 for the city to go without a water cut for the rest of the year.

Intermittent heavy showers have continued to lash Mumbai on Thursday, just a day after the city was battered and shattered by stormy weather that left a trail of destruction, fallen trees or branches, and hundreds of vehicles submerged or broken down. Overnight rains were reported from most parts of coastal Maharashtra, including Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, besides regions of Western Maharashtra like Kolhapur, Satara and Sangli. A minor landslide occurred when a portion of a hillock at the posh Malabar Hill crashed down near Pedder Road, but luckily, there were no casualties. The IMD Mumbai said that Maharashtra's capital city received 33.1 cm rainfall on Wednesday, while the suburbs recorded around half of that precipitation at 16.2 cm.