Mumbai’s lake levels at 29%, half of where it stood last year

In one of the most delayed monsoon onsets, this year, monsoons arrived in the bay on June 25.

While the official date of monsoons arrival in Mumbai is June 11, this year witnessed a delay of two weeks owing to the Typhoons Guchol and Mawar as well as Cyclone Biparjoy. Meanwhile, last year, monsoon showers had commenced on June 11.

Speaking to The Indian Express, P. Velrasu, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) said that the water stock had only reached 50 percent of what was available in the dams last year. “Ten percent water cut will continue in the city till this month end. We will take the decision of extending the water cut into August after observing the rainfall and water collection in the dams until this month’s end.”

On Thursday, the city witnessed light showers.

Between Wednesday and Thursday until 8.30 am, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) weather station at Santacruz recorded a mere one mm of rain whereas the coastal observatory situated at Colaba registered 0.6 mm.

Furthermore, between the same period, the BMC’s recording apparatus showed that eastern suburbs recorded the maximum showers at 9.16 mm followed by western suburbs which registered 6.06 mm rain and the island city division which witnessed 4.19 mm of downpour.

In its weather forecast of five days, the weather bureau extended the green alert in the city until Monday (July 17). Scientists at IMD told Express that with a low pressure level developing in the Bay of Bengal, conditions look favourable for the strong revival of monsoons between July 18 and July 20.