Dress rehearsals for the monsoon begin

June 8: Mumbai was lashed by heavy rains and gusty winds today, signalling a close to what has been a long dry summer. Umbrellas and rainwear made their maiden appearance in the city as waves broke on the Marine Drive seaface and high-speed winds whipped the city.

The rains claimed their first victim today, when 29-year-old Maya Thakkar, a Bhayander resident, fell into the sea and drowned off Marine Drive. Her body was retrieved by a naval helicopter which had been called in by the fire brigade at around 12.30 pm today. However, today’s showers aren’t the seasonal south west monsoons. The monsoons are on the Karnataka coast and are expected to hit the city by the weekend. A weather bureau spokesperson attributed today’s rains to a severe cyclonic storm brewing in the Arabian Sea 420 km south west of Veraval. The cyclone is expected to cross Gujarat coast on Tuesday morning. Under the influence of this cyclone, widespread rain is expected in north Konkan, northern Maharashtra and Marathwada. The Maharashtracoast will be lashed with thundershowers accompanied by squally winds reaching 45 to 55 km per hour, according to the weather bureau forecast. Signal three has been hoisted at ports, and fishermen have been cautioned not to venture out to sea.

Meanwhile, the Indian Navy’s pilots have begun their annual monsoon rescue operations. Responding to an SOS this morning, the navy’s search and rescue teams rescued four fishermen who were stranded on their trawler Deepawati, drifting off Murud coast in Raigad district.