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Waterlogging, traffic disruptions in Mumbai as city receives over 100 mm rainfall overnight; IMD issues orange alert

The IMD has predicted thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds in the upcoming week in Mumbai and neighbouring districts.

Pedestrians make their way through a waterlogged street at Andheri east in Mumbai on 21 July 2025. (Express photo by Sankhadeep Banerjee)

Mumbai woke up to heavy rain and waterlogged streets Monday morning, with the suburban belt receiving over 100 mm of rainfall overnight while the India Meteorological Department (IMD) sounded an orange alert in Mumbai, Thane, and other parts of the Konkan region until Tuesday morning.

After experiencing a rainfall deficit throughout the month, the city is in for a wet week ahead, with the IMD issuing a yellow alert for Mumbai and its neighbouring districts for the week ahead.

After experiencing light showers throughout Sunday morning, the rain intensified overnight. Data furnished by the IMD showed that between Sunday and Monday morning, until 8.30 am, the Santacruz observatory recorded 115 mm of rainfall, while the Colaba station remained drier with 11 mm of rainfall.

The heavy rain lashed the city, despite no alerts being issued for the Mumbai district, which was under a “green” forecast of light to moderate showers for Sunday.

Due to moderate to heavy rainfall anticipated to continue in isolated areas for the next few hours, the IMD issued an orange nowcast warning for Mumbai city and the Mumbai suburban districts at 9.20 am Monday.

As showers continued unabated throughout the morning, the IMD on Monday afternoon revised its forecast bulletin to an orange alert in Mumbai, Thane and Raigad districts.

Owing to the likelihood of heavy to very heavy rainfall with gusty winds, the orange alert will remain in place in Mumbai until Tuesday morning.

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Records showed that between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm on Monday, the IMD’s Santacruz station registered 87 mm rainfall.

The surprise spell of showers triggered waterlogging in several areas, leaving office-goers in a lurch on Monday morning. Traffic in the Andheri subway was heavily affected due to water accumulation from the rain.

Among other pockets which experienced water logging were Kurla SCLR bridge, Vakola bridge, Centaur bridge, Juhu Tara road, Ram Nagar subway as well as near Jogeshwari’s SRPF gate.

Near Western Express Highway pump house, where waterlogging was reported, the traffic police deployed its personnel to clear north-bound footpath drain holes.

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Indicating the revival of monsoon currents on cards, the IMD has placed Mumbai and its neighbouring districts of Thane and Palghar under a yellow warning of “thunderstorms, lightning and moderate rain with gusty winds” in the week ahead.

According to meteorologists, rainfall is expected to surge across Maharashtra between July 21 to July 27, owing to active weather systems in the region.

Weather experts pointed to an upper air cyclonic circulation which is currently over Odisha and neighbouring areas as well as an east-west trough which presently runs from north central Karnataka to south coastal Andhra Pradesh.

“A fresh low-pressure area is likely to form over north Bay of Bengal around July 24. Under its influence, the rainfall activity over Maharashtra is very likely to increase during July 21-27,” added the IMD, in a statement.

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Even though July is generally the city’s wettest month of the year, Mumbai had been reeling under a rain deficit so far. As of Monday morning, both the Santacruz and Colaba stations were reeling under a rain deficit of over 300 mm rainfall.

Nayonika Bose

Nayonika Bose is a Trainee Correspondent with The Indian Express’ Mumbai bureau. While in the early stages of her career, her focused reporting on local governance and community welfare already demonstrates clear Expertise and Trustworthiness in covering essential civic issues impacting Mumbai's residents. Expertise & Authority (E-E-A-T) Specialized Focus: Nayonika's reporting is dedicated to civic and community issues, providing readers with highly relevant, ground-level information about the functionality and administration of India's largest metropolitan area. Core Coverage Areas: Her articles highlight a strong focus on the fundamental quality of life and public safety in Mumbai, including: Civic Infrastructure: Reports on critical failures and initiatives related to public works, such as the recurring problem of unauthorized building collapses in Navi Mumbai, the construction of new infrastructure projects (like the Dahisar-Bhayandar Link Road and the Mahalaxmi cable-stayed bridge), and the maintenance of essential city services (e.g., manhole cover theft). Urban Governance & Crisis Management: Provides detailed coverage of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) response to major crises, particularly during the monsoon (e.g., heavy rainfall, water cuts, and public health concerns like dengue and malaria) and large-scale public safety incidents (e.g., the hoarding collapse fallout). Community Welfare & Rights: Reports on key social issues, including the financial aid scheme for persons with disabilities, the struggles of Mumbai's hawkers protesting eviction drives, and the dangers faced by workers due to the continuation of manual scavenging in water tanks. Cultural & Heritage Reporting: Covers significant community stories, including the restoration of British-era fountains and the history of institutions like the 126-year-old Chinchpokli cemetery, showing a breadth of interest beyond pure administration. Tweets @nayonikakb ... Read More

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