Mumbai Faces More Rain After Record Downpour; IMD Warns Of Storms

Days after relentless rainfall battered Mumbai, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast a "generally cloudy sky with heavy rain" for the city on Wednesday, 28 May.

The IMD also warned of a chance of thunder or lightning, accompanied by gusty winds at isolated locations.

Photo Credit: PTI

According to the weather agency, the minimum temperature is expected to hover around 24°C, while the maximum is likely to reach approximately 31°C.

The IMD's broader regional forecast predicts "scattered to fairly widespread light to moderate rainfall along with thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds" across Konkan and Goa, and Madhya Maharashtra from 27 May to 2 June.

It further noted the possibility of "isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall" in some areas of Madhya Maharashtra between 27 and 29 May, and over Konkan and Goa from 27 May to 2 June.

"Isolated extremely heavy rainfall very likely over Konkan and ghat areas of Madhya Maharashtra on 27 May," the department added.

Highest May Rainfall in 24 Hours Since 2021

A day after the southwest monsoon arrived, Mumbai recorded its highest single-day rainfall in May since 2021-the year Cyclone Tauktae, described as the worst cyclone to pass near the city in four decades, struck.

Between Monday and 8:30am Tuesday, the Santacruz weather station recorded 144 mm of rain, while Colaba registered 161.9 mm.

As of Tuesday morning, Santacruz had logged 324 mm of rainfall, while Colaba surpassed its previous May record of 279.4 mm set in 1918, marking the highest-ever monthly total for the area.

BMC Fines Pumping Station Operators

On Tuesday, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) levied penalties on operators of four of the city's ten mini pumping stations for failing to activate pumps to drain floodwater from key locations following Monday's deluge.

Numerous parts of Mumbai experienced severe waterlogging, disrupting both road and rail traffic.

Operators at Hindmata, Gandhi Market, Yellow Gate, and Chunabhatti-low-lying areas known for flooding-were each fined ₹10 lakh by the civic body.

Mumbai Metro Clarifies on Station Flooding

The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) issued a statement on Tuesday regarding the water seepage incident at the Acharya Atre Chowk metro station, stating it was caused by a "sudden kind of event" that could not have been prevented.

The MMRC assured the public that "there is no safety issue" with the underground Metro system.

Managing Director Ashwini Bhide said, "There is absolutely no safety issue as far as the underground Metro is concerned," adding that all standard operating procedures were followed after the incident on Monday morning.

Service between Acharya Atre Chowk and Worli was temporarily suspended as floodwaters entered the Aqua Line station on Metro Line 3.