Mumbai recorded an intense spell of showers on Friday as the rain level recorded in the maximum city surpassed the 100 mm mark within nine hours. The city also surpassed the 1,000 mm mark of July rainfall within just three weeks. The India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) Santacruz observatory on Friday recorded 115.2 mm of rain between 8:30 am and 5:30 pm, while the coastal observatory at Colaba recorded 92.2 mm of rain within the same period. Also, within a three-hour period between 11:30 am and 2:30 pm on Friday, the maximum city recorded an 89 mm intense spell of rain. Due to the intense rain, waterlogging was reported from almost everywhere in the island city and the suburban belt. Iqbal Singh Chahal, the municipal commissioner and state-appointed administrator, who inspected the rain situation in Mumbai, told The Indian Express that the intense rain was coupled with high-tide, preventing the accumulated rain water from draining out. Sushma Nair, scientist from IMD Mumbai, said that the Friday spell was a resultant of several factors, including a cyclonic formation and a low-pressure developed in the Bay of Bengal. “The monsoon trough at present is below its normal position, and a cyclonic circulation has developed over south Chhattisgarh and its neighbouring places. Based on these factors, Mumbai along with adjoining districts of Thane, Palghar, and Raigad experienced extreme rainfall,” Nair told The Indian Express on Friday. The IMD has issued an orange alert for Mumbai till Saturday, indicating that "very heavy" rain will continue for the next 24 hours. Meanwhile, a red alert was issued for Thane, Raigad, and Palghar due to the continuation of extreme rain. “Till the end of weekend, moderate to heavy spell of rain is expected to lash Mumbai as there is a chance of formation of another low-pressure that will intensify the rain condition in Mumbai and adjoining districts,” Nair added. #WATCH | Maharashtra: Rain lashes parts of Mumbai (Visuals from Eastern Express Highway) pic.twitter.com/drZKj4JKxW — ANI (@ANI) July 22, 2023 Meanwhile, the Friday rain resulted in intense waterlogging in several pockets of the city. The Andheri subway was shut for vehicular and pedestrian movements as water accumulated inside it. The Western and Eastern Express highways also recorded traffic snarls as vehicular movement was affected. Heavy waterlogging was reported from Chembur, Vikhroli, Mulund, and Bhandup. The SV and Link roads — two primary connectors in the western suburbs — were also severely affected as many places went submerged with water. In addition, potholes also became a contributing factor to the Friday waterlogging. In the afternoon, a Chahal-led delegation of civic officials visited the waterlogged areas of Mumbai. “There was high tide in Mumbai between 12 and 1 pm, and most of the stormwater outfalls in the city went under water during this period. Unfortunately, an intense spell of close to 100 mm of rain in Mumbai was overwhelming since there was no scope for dewatering pumps and all other counter-measures to work effectively. So, channelising the water was halted temporarily,” Chahal told The Indian Express following his visit. “After the tide receded, the accumulated water, however, was channelled out immediately, and the traffic was restored within a couple of hours. I have visited all the places, starting from Hindmata in the island city to Andheri Subway, only to find out that the water level has dissipated.” The IMD data also showed that several pockets of Mumbai recorded rainfall above 100 mm, including Chembur with 128 mm of rain, followed by Andheri (127 mm), Vikhroli (123 mm), Bandra (112 mm), and Dadar (104 mm). During the previous 24-hour cycle, which ended at 8:20 am on Friday, Santacruz and Colaba recorded 29 mm and 23 mm of rain. On Friday, the average water level of lakes in the city stood at 42.75 per cent — a 3 per cent increase in the last 24 hours. Tulsi Lake, which overflowed on Thursday, was at 100 per cent capacity on Friday. Over the last 24 hours, 103 mm of rain was recorded in the catchment area of Modak Sagar Lake, followed by Tulsi Lake (90 mm), Tansa Lake (87 mm), Bhatsa Lake (50 mm), middle Vaitarna (46 mm), Vihar Lake (30 mm), and Upper Vaitarna (28 mm).
