Navi Mumbai records highest one-day rainfall since 2007: NMMC

Waterlogging at Nerul ground. Narendra Vaskar

With Navi Mumbai receiving an average rainfall of 309 mm in the 24 hours till 2 pm on Wednesday, the civic body’s preparations for the Under-17 FIFA world cup, starting October 6, have been interrupted. Officials said this is probably the highest rainfall in Navi Mumbai in a day since 2007.

According to the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC), Belapur received 318 mm of rainfall while Nerul recorded 302 mm till 8.30 am on Wednesday. Vashi and Airoli got 251 mm and 230 mm, respectively.

Between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm on Wednesday, Vashi received the highest rainfall at 71 mm, followed by Belapur with 65 mm. Nerul and Airoli received 59 mm and 44 mm rainfall respectively. Areas such as Sanpada and Rabale subways, sector 4 and 5 in Belapur, Ghansoli and Uran phata on Sion-Panvel highway faced waterlogging. Around nine tree-fall incidents and one fire incident was reported, but there were no injuries, officials said. Suhas Mhatre, a resident of Kalamboli, said local trains were affected on the harbour line due to the incessant rainfall.

“I reached the station to go to work in the morning, but the locals were running late. Hence, I could not reach on time to a hospital in Parel,” said Mhatre.

Additional municipal commissioner Ankush Chavan said there were a few complaints of the waterlogging in the satellite town. “But the water receded immediately. It did not affect the traffic movement much,” said Chavan. The heavy rain affected preparations of the Under-17 FIFA World Cup.

Work on the practice grounds in the Navi Mumbai Sports Association in Vashi and Yashwantrao Chavan ground in Nerul were disrupted. “It is a fact that the rain has affected works, including for the FIFA world cup. Once it stops, we will work night and day to finish the task in a week,” said Chavan.