Monsoon pounds Mumbai overnight, triggers waterlogging as IMD issues orange alert

Mumbai received heavy rainfall overnight as the monsoon finally set in in the financial capital of the country. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert, valid for three hours, for Mumbai and Palghar early on Wednesday as heavy showers continued across the region.

The IMD has warned of thunderstorms, lightning, intense to very intense rainfall and winds of 40-60 kmph.

"Thunderstorm accompanied by lightning and Intense to very Intense spells of rain with gusty winds reaching 40-60 kmph very likely to occur at isolated places," the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said in a post on X, quoting the IMD.

Due to the incessant overnight rainfall, severe waterlogging was reported in several parts of the city. Average rainfall recorded by the weather department for the city was 78 mm.

In Thane, a tree fell on four vehicles -- two four-wheelers and three two- wheelers. Following the incident, fire brigade personnel (with one fire tender) and staff from the Vartak Nagar Ward Committee Disaster Management Cell arrived at the scene.

The fallen tree was cut and removed with the assistance of the fire brigade personnel and disaster management staff present at the site, officials said.

Authorities advised people to exercise caution throughout the day.

The IMD has stated that conditions remain favourable for the monsoon to advance in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Chhattisgarh. It further stated that these states are expected to witness more rain in the coming days.

"The southwest monsoon has further progressed into the remaining parts of the central Arabian Sea, additional areas of Maharashtra including Mumbai, the remaining parts of Telangana and Odisha, and more regions of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Bihar," the IMD said in a statement.

Additionally, according to the BMC, all major subways in Mumbai stayed open, and traffic movement was largely smooth. Suburban railway services ran as usual, and BEST bus operations also continued without interruption.

"Except for the headline, no changes have been made to the story, as it has been sourced from IANS."