It pours again,takes rainfall to 10-year high

Rainfall data of the past 10 years,from June 1 to August 30,show the city received the maximum rainfall in 2010. Also,the total average for this period shows an upward trend over the past years,steadily rising from 1,955.5 mm in 2003 to 2,174 mm in 2008.

Rainfall data between 2001 and 2010,collected from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and compiled by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) show both Colaba and Sanatcruz weather stations recording all-time highs this year.

Colaba recorded 2,896.2 mm so far,800 mm higher than the second highest of 2024.2 mm in 2007. The lowest rainfall recorded at Colaba in the past decade was 1,144 mm in 2002.

Santacruz station shows 2,999 mm of rainfall so far,the second highest in the decade being 2005 when 2,491.8 mm was recorded.

The lowest in the past 10 years at Santacruz was 1,216.4 mm in 2002.

Director,Mumbai regional IMD,V K Rajiv,said,“Rainfall reaching the country from the Arabian sea has been more than satisfactory this year. The offshore trough along the coast of Maharashtra and upper air cyclonic winds over Gujarat are major reasons for the increased rainfall activity.”

Despite an overall increase in rainfall this year,incidents of flooding have remained slightly lower than the past few years. There have been 82 cases of major flooding in the year so far across the city,compared to 371 in 2005,583 in 2006,161 in 2007,137 in 2008 and 89 in 2009.

Railway services started buckling under the heavy rain three days after the heavy downpour started. On the central line,25 trains had to be cancelled,while on the central and western lines,trains ran 15 minutes to half-an-hour late. Waterlogging was reported from Hindmata area of Dadar.