Mumbai Rains: Heavy downpour batters city overnight, red alert issued in Thane, Raigad

Maharashtra's Raigad district has recorded 100 mm rainfall in the last 24 hours till Friday morning, with Matheran logging the highest at 210 mm and Alibag reporting the lowest at 35 mm, an official said. The district has recorded 34 per cent of the average annual rainfall so far, he said. The district authorities have installed machines to measure rainfall at 26 places in Mahad and Poladpur taluka and 14 of them are installed at river banks, the official said. The devices have been installed as a precautionary measure, as these two talukas have witnessed floods due to heavy rains in the past, he added. 

Active monsoon conditions are likely to continue over central India and along the west coast during the next 5 days and an increase of rainfall over northwest India is likely on July 9 and 10, India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Friday

Now that 25% water has been collected in Mumbai lakes, due to incessant rainfall, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has withdrawn the decision to cut 10% water supply.

In the 24-hour period ending 8 am on Friday, the island city (south Mumbai), its eastern suburbs and western suburbs recorded average rainfall of 28.08 mm, 32.64 mm, and 51.96 mm respectively, a civic official said.

The buses of Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) and local train services, considered the lifeline of Mumbai, were normally as there was no waterlogging anywhere.

Strong winds reaching 40 to 50 kmph are likely in Mumbai today. After heavy rains in the city and its adjoining areas since Monday, the rain intensity started subsiding from Thursday afternoon.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday issued an order prohibiting people from visiting the city beaches on the days for which the IMD has given an 'orange' or 'red' alert warning of heavy rainfall. It, however, said that the beaches will remain open for people between 6 am and 10 am on such days.

The IMD has issued a red alert for Mumbai, Thane and Raigad for today. Rains continued to lash the city for the fourth consecutive day on Thursday, delaying local train services on the Central Railway route following a wall collapse on a track.

The weather forecast for today suggests that sea waves as high as 12 feet could be seen in Mumbai today, and people have been advised to stay away from the sea. A high tide of 3.68 meters could be expected at 6:11 pm today.

Mumbai witnessed heavy rainfall all night, even as the IMD issued a red alert for the city. The IMD had earlier forecast heavy rainfall in the city and suburbs with very heavy to extremely heavy rains likely at isolated places during the day.