Another red alert issued for heavy rain in Mumbai
What's the story
Mumbai has recorded its earliest monsoon onset ever, with over 200mm of rain falling in several parts of the city.
The rainfall is expected to continue on Tuesday as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, and gusty winds in Mumbai and neighboring districts Thane, Raigad, and Ratnagiri.
The southwest monsoon usually arrives on June 11, but this year it hit Maharashtra on Sunday, May 25, a day after its onset in Kerala.
Others
Other Maharashtra districts may receive rain
Other districts like Palghar, Pune, Ahmednagar, and Sindhudurg are also expected to receive heavy rainfall.
The weather department further predicted thunderstorms, lightning, and strong winds in Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Chandigarh, Odisha, and West Bengal over the next two to three days.
Himachal Pradesh is expected to experience hail on Tuesday, while western Rajasthan may experience heat waves and dust storms.
Rainfall impact
Record rainfall and infrastructure disruptions in Mumbai
The monsoon's early arrival has brought record rainfall to Mumbai, with Colaba observatory recording 295mm till Monday morning, breaking a 107-year-old record for May. Santacruz observatory recorded 272mm of rain this month.
The intense showers have exposed the city's unpreparedness, leading to waterlogging in new areas and disrupting train and flight services.
Suburban train services were particularly affected, with several cancellations due to waterlogging on tracks.
Infrastructure impact
Structural damages and record-breaking rainfall in Mumbai
The heavy downpour also caused structural damage, including wall collapses and tree falls in the Mahim, Malabar Hill, and Teen Batti areas.
A road in Kemps Corner cracked open due to the intense rainfall.
The IMD has predicted moderate to heavy spells of rainfall with thunderstorms and squally winds for the next few days.
Shubhangi Bhute from IMD Mumbai confirmed that this year's onset is significantly early compared to the usual June 11 date.
Statewide impact
Monsoon's early arrival and its effects on Maharashtra
The southwest monsoon usually arrives in Kerala by June 1, reaches Mumbai by June 11, and covers the entire country by July 8.
This year's early onset has already brought heavy rainfall across other parts of Maharashtra too.
Satara district recorded 163mm of rainfall, while Ahmednagar's Shrigonda taluka received 139mm in the last 24 hours.
The state has received an average of 140mm of rainfall this month against a monthly average of just 17.7mm for May.