Heavy rains in Mumbai: Local trains affected, monsoon to arrive in next 48-72 hrs

Bombay Municipal Corporation has cancelled Saturday and Sunday offs of its officers after heavy rain warnings issued by the IMD.

Heavy rains lashed parts of Mumbai on Thursday due which flights were affected. A Jet airways London-Mumbai flight had to be diverted to Ahmedabad airport due to the downpour. Some local trains are also running late. A 4-day red-alert has also been sounded.

Today's rain is being termed as pre-monsoon showers as the SW monsoon is yet to hit Mumbai. The monsoon is expected to hit Mumbai tomorrow, after which 'heavy to very heavy rainfall' is likely on June 9.

The latest weather update by the IMD states that pre-monsoon showers would continue in mumbai, while the monsson may arrive in next 48-72 hours.

"Monsoon has arrived up to Goa. In next 24 hours it will reach Southern Maharashtra /Konkan region. In next 48-72 hrs it's expected to reach Mumbai. Heavy rain warning still in place for 8 & 9 June, on 10 June intensity of rain to decrease," news agency ANI quoted an IMD statement as saying.

Meanwhile, the Bombay Municipal Corporation has cancelled Saturday and Sunday offs of its officers after heavy rain warnings issued by the IMD.

Mumbai has been witnessing very heavy pre-monsoon rains for the past two days, which led to disruptions in flight and local train operations. As per reports, the metropolitan city and the surrounding areas could see much more rains between June 8 to 12, which could be the worse spell since 26 July 2005, when Mumbai recorded 900mm in a day.

Within 30 minutes of rain, the social media was full of pictures of water-logged streets of Mumbai in which people could be seen wading through knee-deep water.

People in Mumbai can dial 1916 and those outside Mumbai can dial 1077 in case of emergency.

On June 5, rains poured over south Mumbai, eastern and western suburbs and in many areas of adjoining Raigad, Thane, Ratnagiri and Palghar districts.

Rain over the western coast, especially in Mumbai, is likely to peak between June 8 and 10, private agency Skymet had said.