Rain lashes city over weekend; weather bureau’s Colaba observatory records 214 mm of rainfall between 8 am on Saturday and 5.30 pm on Sunday
Tourists enjoy a rainy evening at the Gateway of India in Colaba on Sunday. PIC/ASHISH RAJE
While the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for Monday, indicating heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places across the city, heavy showers lashed parts of Mumbai, especially the southern parts, on Saturday night and Sunday. The IMD issued a red alert for Mumbai and other districts of coastal Maharashtra — Thane, Raigad, Palghar, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg — on Sunday afternoon, indicating extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places along with thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds over 40-59 kmph.
Within 33 hours between 8 am on Saturday and 5.30 pm on Sunday, IMD's Colaba observatory recorded 214 mm of rainfall. Of this, 120.8 mm was recorded between 8 am on Saturday and 8 am on Sunday, while 93.2 mm was recorded between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm on Sunday.
September rain
The rainfall received by the Colaba observatory in these 33 hours accounts for 45.42 per cent of the annual average rainfall received by the observatory in the past decade. Between 2014 and 2024, the observatory recorded an average rainfall of 469 mm in September while its Santacruz counterpart recorded 557 mm in the same period. The total annual average rainfall for Colaba and Santacruz is 2361 mm and 2916 mm, respectively, according to the BMC's study for flood preparedness guidelines. This September, the Colaba and Santacruz observatories have recorded about 488 mm and 531 mm of rainfall, respectively. On an average, September sees about 19 per cent of the annual rainfall reported in Mumbai.
CM holds meet to deal with deluge
As the continuous downpour continues, flood-hit areas of Maharashtra face more disruption and damage. Many rivers are flowing above the danger mark, adding to the crisis in Marathwada and Solapur, which have received excessive rainfall over the last few days.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis interacts with flood-affected farmers in Jalgaon. PIC/X/@CMOMaharashtra
On Sunday, Nashik and part of northern Maharashtra were badly affected as rainfall threw normal life out of gear and damaged standing crops. The chief minister interacted with district collectors of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Beed, Jalna, Latur, Hingoli, Nanded, Parbhani, Darashiv and Hingoli (all from Marathwada district). Besides these district officials, he interacted with the Solapur administration.
“Do not point fingers at any rule book. Ensure that sarsakhat (across the board) panchanama of the damage is done,” Fadnavis said. The chief minister even instructed district collectors to stay on the ground to speed up rescue and relief work for stranded people and those shifted to safer places. “Make sure that people in relief camps get proper food, drinking water and medical help. Also, the arrangements for fodder supply should be made immediately,” Fadnavis directed.
Forecast for the next three days
Monday: Orange alert, indicating heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places, issued for Mumbai and other coastal districts of Maharashtra as well as the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, comprising Navi Mumbai, Thane City, Vasai-Virar, and Mira Bhayander
Tuesday: Yellow alert, indicating heavy rainfall at isolated places, issued for Mumbai and the neighbouring districts of Palghar, Thane, Sindhudurg, Raigad and Ratnagiri
Wednesday: Green alert issued for Mumbai and the districts of Coastal Maharashtra
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