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Wet spell begins in Mumbai: Red alert for August 4 and 5

Hindustan Times, Mumbai | By
Aug 04, 2020 06:22 AM IST

The Santacruz weather observatory, representative of the suburbs, recorded 17.6mm (moderate) rain between 8.30am and 8.30pm on Monday, while Colaba weather station, representative of south Mumbai, recorded 38.2mm (moderate) rain during the same time.

The city can expect extremely heavy rain across isolated areas on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the weather bureau’s revised forecast issued on Monday.

A red alert (possibility of over 204.5mm rain over 24 hours across isolated areas) has been issued for Mumbai, Thane and Raigad for Tuesday and Wednesday, with the possibility of waterlogging and disruption of traffic. A red alert has also been issued for Ratnagiri for Tuesday and Palghar on Wednesday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. The city and suburbs saw partly cloudy conditions with spells of sunshine through the day on Monday, but light to moderate rain was recorded from early evening with intermittent intense spells in some areas.

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The Santacruz weather observatory, representative of the suburbs, recorded 17.6mm (moderate) rain between 8.30am and 8.30pm on Monday, while Colaba weather station, representative of south Mumbai, recorded 38.2mm (moderate) rain during the same time. Majority of this rain was recorded over three hours between 5.30pm and 8.30pm. Location-wise rain showed Mazgaon recorded maximum rain at 31.2mm, followed by Malad at 28.6mm and Worli 25mm.

“The active wet spell for the Konkan coast, including Mumbai, commenced from Monday evening and is expected to continue till Thursday. Intense rain activity is expected on Tuesday and Wednesday due to the formation of a low pressure weather system over Bay of Bengal on Tuesday. This will enhance rain bearing factors along the west coast strengthening westerly winds and allowing increased moisture incursions leading to extremely heavy showers,” said KS Hosalikar, deputy director general, western region, IMD. Maximum and minimum temperatures were close to the normal mark on Monday.

From June 1 to August 3 8.30 pm, Mumbai recorded 1,918.6 mm rain, which is 85% of its seasonal average rain (2,260.4mm). However, water stock across seven lakes supplying water to Mumbai was 34.7% of the required amount on Monday. It was 91.5% last year by August 3.

“Very heavy showers, ranging to the amount of 500mm or more, are expected over catchment areas between Wednesday and Thursday,” said professor Sridhar Balasubramanian, department of mechanical engineering and IDP Climate Studies, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT-B), Bombay.

From Sunday evening itself, wind speed over the city picked up with 22-25kmph winds, according to IMD.

“The combination of factors, including a cyclonic circulation in the lower troposphere and a developing monsoon depression over the Bay of Bengal, is allowing the offshore trough to intensify and enhance south-westerly winds over the Mumbai region. The wind speed is likely to further increase to around 40kmph on Tuesday before decreasing from Tuesday night,” said Akshay Deoras, independent meteorologist and PhD researcher at the University of Reading, United Kingdom.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has also issued a high alert warning for Mumbai on August 4 and 5, owing to IMD’s warning that parts of the island city and suburbs will experience heavy rainfall on these two days. BMC has urged Mumbaiites not to visit beaches or venture into areas if they are water logged.

In a media announcement made on Monday, BMC informed that all 24 disaster-control rooms at ward levels have been put on high alert, six regional offices of the Mumbai fire brigade are on standby and three units of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are also on standby for Mumbai. BMC has ensured all six pumping stations, and the 299 dewatering pumps set up temporarily across the city are functional.

The electric substations of BEST and Adani, etc, are also on high alert. Moreover, assistant commissioner of the L Ward in Kurla, with jurisdiction over areas adjoining the banks of Mithi river, is on alert to evacuate residents of these areas, in case the water levels of Mithi increase to dangerous levels.

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