Mumbai: South Mumbai’s Colaba area, which starts at the Gateway of India, reported its heaviest single-day rainfall in August in 46 years on Wednesday, when rains and cyclonic winds reaching speeds of up to 107kmph hit the city and its neighbouring areas, disrupting suburban train and bus services and throwing normal life out of gear. All offices, barring essential services, remained shut. With the weather department warning of more downpour over the next few hours, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has asked people to not venture out of doors unless absolutely necessary.
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- Wednesday’s rainfall was the highest Colaba area, which includes iconic landmarks such as the Gateway of India, has received in the month of August since 1974. The area recorded 331.8mm rainfall over a period of 24 hours starting 8.30am Wednesday.
- Mumbai has already recorded 64 per cent of its monthly quota of rain in the first five days of August, with posh south Mumbai areas bearing the bulk of the brunt. As per latest satellite and radar observations, Santacruz received 162.3mm rain.
- The weather department warned that heavy rains and strong winds are likely to lash the city again over the next few hours. “Mumbai city and suburbs are very likely to receive few spells of moderate to heavy rainfall (1-2 cm/hour) during next 3-4 hours accompanied with strongwinds reaching 60-70 kmph occasionally gusting to 80 kmph. During next 3-4 hours. Possibility of thunder/lightning in some areas,” the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) tweeted.
- Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray asked people to stay indoors and venture out only for essential work. The Shiv Sena leader has directed Mumbai’s civic body officials to stay on high alert.
- However, the weather department has said there would be gradual decrease in rainfall over the next 24 hours. “Next 24 hours could see gradual decrease in intensity of rainfall in city,” said KS Hosalikar, Director General of Meteorology.
- For the past two days, heavy rains and cyclonic winds, reaching speeds of up to 107kmph, have hit Mumbai and neighbouring areas, disrupting suburban train and bus services and throwing normal life out of gear.
- Prime Minister Narendra
Modi on Wednesday assured all possible support to the Maharashtra Chief Minister regarding the situation prevailing in Mumbai and surrounding areas.
- The situation on ground seemed to have improved with local and suburban trains running on schedule. The National Disaster Response Force and Railway Protection Force rescued 290 passengers from two local trains stranded on flooded tracks between the CSMT and Sandhurst Road station on Wednesday.
- Heavy downpour has also affected areas along the Maharashtra-Karnataka border and the Konkan region, including Goa.
- In Kerala, the IMD said “very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall” is expected till August 9. It has warned of heavy rains specifically in Wayanad and Kozhikode.
