As the monsoon season intensifies in India, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued alerts for various regions, warning of heavy rainfall and potential disruptions. On Wednesday, an ‘orange’ alert was issued for parts of Mumbai and its suburbs, indicating the likelihood of receiving moderate to heavy rainfall, with some areas even facing the prospect of heavy to very heavy downpours. The IMD issues an ‘orange’ alert when the rainfall is expected to range between 115.6 mm to 204.4 mm within a day.
Additionally, a ‘yellow’ alert has been declared for several districts in Maharashtra, including Aurangabad, Kolhapur, Nasik, Nandurbar, Jalgaon, Sindhudurg, and Dhule. The weather department attributes the recent surge in rainfall to a developing low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal, which is strengthening the offshore monsoon trough near Maharashtra. This system is expected to move closer to the shore or inland around July 18, triggering a monsoon revival in Mumbai and adjacent parts of the Konkan region.
Over the past 24 hours leading up to 8:00 am on Wednesday, Mumbai and its eastern and western suburbs received significant rainfall, with measurements of 47.42 mm, 50.04 mm, and 50.99 mm respectively. The IMD has also issued forecasts for specific districts in Maharashtra, predicting moderate to intense rainfall in areas like Sindhudurg, Nandurbar, Dhule, Jalgaon, Sambhajinagar, Ahmednagar, Pune, Nasik, Solapur, and Beed over the next 3-4 hours. Meanwhile, Thane, Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Palghar districts are likely to experience moderate to intense rainfall in the same period.
In light of the imminent heavy to extremely heavy rainfall expected in Raigad and Palghar districts on Wednesday, the authorities have taken precautionary measures. Raigad District Collector Yogesh Mhase declared a holiday, ordering the closure of schools and colleges to ensure the safety of residents. The impact of the incessant rains has extended to transportation services as well. The Central Railway’s suburban services were affected on Tuesday, with an express train engine experiencing a failure.
Commuters reported delays of 20-25 minutes for local trains in the city. Looking ahead, the IMD predicts that the maximum temperature in Mumbai will range from 28-29°C over the next week, with the minimum temperature remaining around 24°C. Skies are expected to remain cloudy and overcast, offering little to no respite from the ongoing rainfall. Residents and authorities in the affected regions are urged to stay vigilant and take necessary precautions to ensure their safety and mitigate any potential damage caused by the monsoon’s deluge.