Mumbai: Cyclone Ochki leads to heavy downpour in city

Mumbai: Mumbaikars were caught unawares due to the sudden heavy downpour which lashed several parts of the city on Monday. This comes despite Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), which forecasted strong winds and isolated rainfall for the next three days due to the presence of cyclone ‘Ochki.’

On Monday, heavy rainfall lashed several parts of the city which included Thane, Kharghar, Dadar, Wadala and some parts of South Mumbai. Cyclone Ockhi was centred at least 630 kilometres on the southwest of Mumbai on the same day. “It is centred at present at the southwest of Mumbai and it’s likely that the cyclone will move towards north, westwards of Maharashtra and then move towards south Gujarat during the period of 72 hours between December 5 night to December 6 morning,” said an IMD official.

The weather officials have predicted strong winds and isolated rainfall on December 5. The maximum temperature is set to drop by two degrees due to the rainfall. “There will be strong winds moving at the speed of 50 kilometer to 70 kilometer per hour and isolated rainfall at areas of North Konkan, Mumbai and North Madhya Maharashtra. The maximum temperature during the day will be between 30 to 32 degree celsius,” added the official. Holiday were declared in schools across Mumbai and adjoining districts on Tuesday due to ‘serious weather predictions’ in view of Cyclone Ockhi, said Maharashtra minister Vinod Tawde.