Mumbai is bracing for heavy to very heavy rainfall over the next four to five days, as forecasted by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The city, currently experiencing intense downpours, has an ‘orange’ alert issued for the Konkan region.
In the last 24 hours, Mumbai recorded 93mm of rainfall, following three consecutive days of 100mm of rainfall each. A ‘yellow’ alert is in place for the next three days, indicating continued heavy rainfall in some areas.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) reported significant rainfall figures: Shahaji Nagar Municipal School in Trombay received 155.6mm of rain between 8 am and 3 pm on Sunday. Other notable measurements include 151.1mm at the North Division office, 149.6mm at Nutan Vidyamandir in Mankhurd, and 129.2mm at Adarsh Nagar in Worli.
Flight Disruptions
Severe rainfall has disrupted flight operations in Mumbai, leading to cancellations and diversions. Air India is offering full refunds or one-time free rescheduling for travelers booked on July 21.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Air India announced, “Heavy rains in Mumbai are affecting flight operations, resulting in cancellation and diversion of some of our flights. Air India is offering full refunds or a one-time complimentary rescheduling for bookings confirmed for travel on 21st July 2024.”
On Sunday, 36 flights were canceled at Mumbai Airport, and 15 flights, including those operated by Air India, IndiGo, and Akasa, were diverted to nearby airports, primarily Ahmedabad, due to intermittent heavy rain until 4 pm.
Runway operations were halted twice on Sunday due to heavy rains—once for eight minutes at 12:12 pm, and again from 1 pm to 1:15 pm. Waterlogging near Mankhurd, Panvel, and Kurla stations caused 15 to 20-minute delays for local train services on the Harbour Line, though the Western Railway section remained unaffected.
Central Railway services on the down fast line between Dadar and Matunga stations were disrupted on Sunday evening. Waterlogging on the tracks at Dadar exacerbated the issue on both the Up and Down fast lines.
Weather Forecast
The IMD has predicted light to moderate rainfall over the next five days in East Rajasthan, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh, with thunderstorms and lightning. Himachal Pradesh is expected to see severe to extremely heavy rains, along with thunderstorms and lightning, on Monday and Tuesday.
Rainfall is expected in several districts, including Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Chamba, Solan, Shimla, Sirmaur, Kullu, Mandi, and Kangra.
In Odisha, a cyclonic depression over the Bay of Bengal has triggered heavy rain across various districts. Approximately 7,300 people in 1,045 villages under 111 Panchayats in Malkangiri district have been affected. The IMD predicts that the depression will move northwest towards Chhattisgarh and weaken into a low-pressure area within the next 12 hours.
Advisories
IndiGo and Vistara have also issued advisories, warning passengers of potential disruptions due to the heavy rains. IndiGo’s post on X read, “#6ETravelAdvisory: #Mumbai is going to see increased rainfall, particularly until tonight, with more rain anticipated in the coming days. Please monitor your flight status.”
