Mumbai Rains Update Live: Maharashtra on ‘alert mode’ amid torrential downpour; local trains, metro suspended

The India Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for Mumbai till May 27 amid torrential rainfall and flooding in some areas.

The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services has sounded a high-wave alert along the western coast of India. Officials have reportedly called for the suspension of near-shore recreation activities on Monday along north and south Goa, north and south Karnataka, Maharashtra and Kerala.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde reviewed the rain situation in Thane district on Monday and assured citizens that comprehensive measures had been taken to ensure "zero casualty".

He said Thane received 135 millimetres of rain during the day.

Shinde, who is guardian minister of the district, visited Thane Municipal Corporation's Regional Disaster Management Cell amid heavy rains.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde attributed early arrival of the southwest monsoon and heavy rainfall in a short span for the inundation of low-lying areas in Mumbai. The Urban Development Minister told reporters that parts of the city received over 200 mm of rainfall in 12 hours.

"This was like a cloudburst due to the intensity of the rain. A rainfall of 50-55 mm is expected in these places. We expected (the pre-monsoon) work to be completed by June 10 and planned work accordingly. It is a fact that the rains have arrived early and this has caused chaos," Shinde said.

The normal onset date for southwest monsoon in the city is June 11 but it reached Mumbai on May 26 this year. The BMC however came under intense scrutiny and criticism on Monday as the inclement weather left many areas inundated and disrupted road and railway traffic.

"We know that the rains will arrive after June 6 and preparations are done accordingly. We don't deny that some things have happened. Pumps will function with full swing (in low-lying areas)," Shinde added.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and former Maharashtra minister Aaditya Thackeray targeted the state government and said never ever has the BMC been in such a dangerous situation. The picture will be like this if BMC goes under the control of the BJP, Thackeray said. He said the BMC is being run by the Chief Minister's Office and the Urban Development department headed by Shinde.

"This is not the first rain of the season that has hit Mumbai. We have been saying for the past two months to clean the nullahs. The civic body should have held monsoon meeting. Where is the person who calls himself a visionary, infra man," Thackery said in a dig at Shinde.

According to reports quoting local officials, traffic movement has been suspended on the Raite bridge along Kalyan-Murbad road due to increasing water levels in the Ulhas river.

"One person died in a lightning strike, while 48 people were rescued from inundated areas as heavy rains battered several places in Maharashtra, including Mumbai, on Monday," said the office of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

The city and parts of South Bengal experienced light to moderate rainfall on Monday, which the Indian Meteorological Department described as a precursor to the arrival of the Southwest Monsoon, currently progressing into various parts of the northeastern region.

According to weather officials, a low-pressure area is likely to form over west-central and adjoining north Bay of Bengal around May 27.

Under its influence, heavy rainfall is likely from May 28 over some districts of the state, a Met official said.

The southwest monsoon made its onset over Mumbai on Monday, more than a fortnight before its normal date, with IMD officials saying it is the earliest arrival of rains in the country's financial capital in 75 years.

"Southwest monsoon made its onset over Mumbai on May 26. This is the earliest onset in the last 75 years," India Meteorological Department (IMD) scientist Sushma Nair said.

The normal date for monsoon's arrival in Mumbai is June 11.

Nair said the southwest monsoon arrived in Mumbai on May 29 in 1956. It arrived on the same date in 1962 and 1971.

Between 8.30 am and 11.30 am, Colaba received 105.2 millimetres of rainfall, Santacruz (55 mm), Bandra (68.5 mm), Juhu Airport (63.5 mm), Chembur (38.5 mm), Vikhroli (37.5 mm), Mahalaxmi (33.5 mm) and Sion (53.5 mm), the IMD said.

Monsoon also arrived in Pune during the day, the IMD added.