Mumbai: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for Mumbai, warning of persistent heavy rainfall that could continue until the end of June. Alongside the rainfall warning, authorities have sounded a high-tide alert and urged people to stay away from Juhu Beach during high tide hours to ensure safety.
The city has already been dealing with intense rain patterns since the monsoon arrived on May 26 — the earliest onset of the monsoon in 75 years. According to IMD data, the Colaba observatory recorded 548.2 mm of rainfall as of Thursday, surpassing its normal average of 542 mm by around 90 mm. By contrast, Santacruz, which generally sees higher monsoon activity, logged just 478 mm, 10 percent below its typical average of 537 mm for May.
Significantly, Colaba witnessed an extraordinary rainfall surge in May, registering 3,025 percent above its usual average for that month. Nariman Point and Byculla have also faced heavy downpours, both reporting over 200 mm of rainfall within a single day recently.
Looking ahead, the IMD has forecast continued intense rain in Mumbai as well as in nearby districts like Thane and Palghar. The weather agency has extended an orange alert for Raigad and Ratnagiri districts, signaling even more severe conditions.
After a week’s lull, the city is now bracing for renewed downpours that could test civic resilience once more. As a precaution, civic authorities have restricted access to Juhu Beach during high tides, given the risk of strong waves and waterlogging.
In a positive development, water levels in Mumbai’s lakes have climbed to 36 percent of total storage capacity, a three-year high, bringing some relief to water supply planners ahead of the peak monsoon.
