Heavy rains lash Mumbai, Pune; residents grapple with waterlogging, traffic disruptions

Heavy showers lashed Mumbai for the second straight day on Monday (September 15), with the Colaba coastal observatory recording more than 100 mm of rain between Sunday (September 14) and Monday morning, leading to widespread waterlogging and traffic disruptions.

At 8.30 am, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red nowcast warning for the city for the next three hours, forecasting intense to very intense rain with thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds across Mumbai, Thane, and Raigad.

Also Read: Heavy rain leads to waterlogging in Hyderabad, two feared washed away

Orange alert in Mumbai

For the next 24 hours, the IMD has predicted a cloudy sky with heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places in the city and suburbs, with the possibility of thunder, lightning, and gusty winds reaching speeds of 30-40 kmph, a civic official said.

Earlier, the IMD had upgraded its yellow alert to an orange alert for Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, and Raigad districts. The orange alert will remain in force until Tuesday (September 16) morning.

Data from IMD showed that between Sunday and Monday morning, Colaba recorded 134.4 mm of rainfall, while Santacruz registered 73.2 mm. Other stations reported 82 mm in Bandra, 73 mm in Byculla, 70.5 mm at Tata Power, and 45 mm in Juhu.

Over the weekend (September 13-14), Santacruz logged 87 mm of rain, while Colaba recorded 19.4 mm.

Also Read: Heavy rains paralyse Gujarat: SDRF, NDRF step up as rivers swell and roads cut off

Traffic hit, trains delayed

According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the heaviest rainfall was in the island city, which received an average of more than 100 mm. Automatic weather stations recorded 111.19 mm in the city division, 76.46 mm in the eastern suburbs, and 74.15 mm in the western suburbs.

The overnight downpour led to waterlogging in several areas, slowing traffic during the Monday morning rush hour.

The Andheri subway was shut due to inundation, with traffic diverted via Gokhale Bridge. The Mumbai traffic police reported waterlogging of half a foot at Khar Subway (Vakola) and one foot at Panbai School North Bound Slip Road.

Despite the disruption, Western and Central Railway officials said suburban services were running normally, though commuters reported water accumulation on tracks at Dadar, Kurla, and Bandra stations, with local trains delayed by 10-15 minutes.

Low-lying areas such as King’s Circle, Lalbaug, Worli, Dadar, Parel, and Kurla also reported flooding. The water-filled potholes further worsened the road traffic conditions.

Also Read: Residents of Yamuna floodplain in Delhi told to shift as water level rises steadily

Pune receives record rainfall

Meanwhile, Pune district also saw heavy rainfall, with Haveli taluka recording one of its wettest days this monsoon, with the IMD issuing an orange alert for rain and thunderstorms in the next three hours for the district.

Between Sunday night and Monday morning, Haveli reported 180 mm of rainfall, followed by 129.2 mm at Lohegaon, 82.2 mm at Chinchwad, and 60 mm at Shivajinagar. Surprisingly, the hill stations received less rain, with Lonavala recording 22 mm and Malin village only 4 mm.

Amid the deluge, residents of Theur village in Pune reported water entering homes, prompting evacuations by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). Roads in low-lying areas were flooded, and some schools declared holidays.

Due to the heavy rain, the Irrigation Department started releasing water from Panshet, Khadakwasala, and other dams in the district, and warned low-lying areas about it.

This year’s monsoon arrived early but was marked by deficient rainfall in Pune for much of the season. The recent spell, however, has brought a sharp surge in rainfall totals across the region.