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Mumbai Rains Live Updates: IMD issues orange alert, heavy rainfall in suburbs

Mumbai Rains Live Updates: If the rain continues for the rest of the month in Mumbai, the city could record its wettest July ever.

By: Express Web Desk | Mumbai |
Updated: July 20, 2021 5:18:17 pm

Mumbai Rains: India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert in several areas in Mumbai. Borivali, Santacruz, Powai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Chembur are a few of the areas with an orange alert. Moderate to intense spell of rainfall is expected over these areas, says IMD.

According to the forecast issued by the Regional Meteorological Centre Mumbai, the city is likely to get Moderate to heavy rain in the city and suburbs with the possibility of very heavy rainfall at a few places.

If the rain continues for the rest of the month in Mumbai, the city could record its wettest July ever, considering that 1,468.5mm in 2014 has been the maximum for the month so far. In 2005, when tragic Mumbai floods had followed 944mm of rain in just 24 hours, the month had recorded 1,454.5mm.

Yesterday, at least 31 people were killed in separate incidents of house collapse and electrocution due to heavy rain in Mumbai on Sunday. In one instance, a residential building collapsed in Mumbai’s Vikhroli area in the wee hours of Sunday, killing three people, according to the BMC. Meanwhile, several people were killed after a wall collapsed on some shanties in Chembur’s Bharat Nagar area due to a landslide.

Taking stock of the situation, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday directed the agencies to remain more alert and asked authorities to keep a watch on landslide-prone areas and dilapidated buildings, the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said in a statement. The CM said power companies should remain careful as high-tension towers are located in the vicinity of many residential areas. “Underground areas should also be cleared given that the water purification centre located in Bhandup in suburban Mumbai was flooded due to rains,” the release quoted the CM as saying.

Live Blog

With floodwaters having entered the Bhandup water purification complex, normal water supply to the western suburbs and the island city area of Mumbai has been affected. Read highlights below.

17:18 (IST)20 Jul 2021
Active rainfall belt over Maharashtra: Regional Meteorological Centre, Mumbai

Regional Meteorological Centre, Mumbai said that an active rainfall belt has been seen over Konkan and Madhya Maharashtra. RMC Mumbai, in a tweet, said, moderate to intense rainfall has been witnessed over districts and ghat areas in and near Maharashtra. 

16:15 (IST)20 Jul 2021
Very heavy rainfall over the next 24 hours in Maharashtra, says IMD

India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a statement alerting the possibility of very high rainfall in Madhya Maharashtra in the next 24 hours. IMD also issued a red alert over Konkan and Goa indicating the probability of extremely high rainfall over the area. 

Waterlogging in Kalwa area on Monday due to heavy rainfall. (Express Photo by Deepak Joshi)
16:01 (IST)20 Jul 2021
Strong winds over Maharashtra coast: IMD

Strong winds are likely to flow along and off Gujarat, Maharashtra and Goa coasts, says India Meteorological Department (IMD) in a press release. 

The press release also stated that very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall is expected over Maharashtra on Wednesday. 

15:05 (IST)20 Jul 2021
Vaccination at all centres in Thane closed

Due to heavy rainfall, vaccination in all Thane centres has been shut for the day to avoid inconvenience to the citizens, tweeted Thane Municipal Corporation. 

The tweet, in Marathi, further mentions that the centres will remain close until further instructions.


14:53 (IST)20 Jul 2021
Off-shore trough running from Maharashtra coast: IMD

"An off-shore trough at mean sea level runs from Maharashtra coast to Karnataka coast. It is likely to persist during the next 3-4 days," states an India Meteorological Department (IMD) press release. 

14:41 (IST)20 Jul 2021
Water stock in seven lakes stands at 33%

The water stock in the seven lakes that provide water to the city is at 480783 million litres of water or 33.22 per cent of the total capacity of 14,47,363 lakh million litres.

Mumbai draws water from Bhatsa, Middle Vaitarna, Upper Vaitarna, Tansa and Modak Sagar, which are in Thane and Nashik districts. Tulsi and Vihar are two lakes located within city limits in Sanjay Gandhi National Park. This year, after heavy rainfall in early June, rainfall in catchment areas of the lakes was very poor. Moderate to heavy rainfall has been recorded in all seven catchments in the last 24 hours. Out of the seven, Tulsi and Vihar overflowed on July 16 and 18. 

14:38 (IST)20 Jul 2021
If rain continues, this could be Mumbai's wettest July

If the rain continues for the rest of the month in Mumbai, the city could record its wettest July ever. In 2014, 1,468.5mm was recorded and that has been the maximum for the month so far. In 2005, when tragic Mumbai floods had followed 944mm of rain in just 24 hours, the month had recorded 1,454.5mm.

Filled up Masunda lake floods roads in Thane. (Express Photo by Deepak Joshi)

14:35 (IST)20 Jul 2021
87% of the season’s average rainfall recorded by Santacruz observatory

Since June 1 this year, IMD’s Santacruz observatory has recorded a total of 1,919.8 mm, which is also 87% of the season’s average rainfall. In this month alone, Mumbai has received 958.5 mm rain, surpassing its average normal rainfall for July. Out of the total, 50 per cent was recorded in two days— July 16 and 18.

14:33 (IST)20 Jul 2021
Moderate rainfall over Santacruz, intense rainfall over Navi Mumbai Thane

The India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) Santacruz Colaba observatories recorded 38.4 mm and 35.4 mm rain. Both fall in the moderate category of rainfall.

Falling in the category of intense rain, during the same period, areas in Navi Mumbai — Vashi recorded 121 mm rain, Belapur and Nerul recorded 105 mm rain, Airoli 147 mm, Koparkhairane 168 mm and Thane district recorded 146 mm in the 24 hours ending at 8:30 am on Tuesday. Read More

14:24 (IST)20 Jul 2021
Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray drives down to Pandharpur due to bad weather

In an annual ritual where State CM participates in the worship on Ashadi Ekadashi, Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray, wife Rashmi Thackeray, son Tourism Minister Aditya Thackeray drove down Mumbai to Pandharpur to offer prayers. Due to bad weather conditions CM avoided helicopter travel.

The day marks the end of a month-long pilgrimage where lakhs of warkaris (devotees) across the State congregate in the temple town. However, due to the Covid pandemic this year, the pilgrimage was not allowed. The temple town was under curfew to avoid the crowd.

Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray offers prayer at Pandharpur temple.
14:14 (IST)20 Jul 2021
Very heavy rainfall over the west coast: IMD

"Widespread rainfall with isolated heavy to very heavy falls very likely to continue over the west coast and adjoining interior areas during next 4-5 days," said India Meteorological Department (IMD).

12:41 (IST)20 Jul 2021
IMD issues orange alert over Maharashtra

India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert in several areas in Maharashtra. Thane, Khandala, Mahabaleshwar. Alibad are a few of the areas with an orange alert. Moderate to intense spell of rainfall is expected over these areas, says IMD.

11:47 (IST)20 Jul 2021
Heavy rainfall in suburbs: BMC

Moderate to heavy rainfall is expected in the suburbs and there is a possibility of very heavy rainfall at a few places, says Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in a tweet. Read More


10:11 (IST)20 Jul 2021
Extremely heavy rainfall likely in the next two days: IMD

India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a notice, announcing extremely heavy rainfall is likely over Maharashtra, Konkan and Goa in the next two days.

Heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected in Maharashtra today, says IMD.

14:31 (IST)19 Jul 2021
Local trains affected in Mumbai today

Local train services of the Central Railway were affected due to water-logging on tracks between Vikhroli and Bhandup following heavy showers in parts of the suburbs, CR's chief spokesperson Shivaji Sutar said.

The suburban train services were suspended in that section of the main line from 10.35 am to 10.50 am as a precautionary measure, he said.

"Trains are being run at a cautious speed between Kanjurmarg and Vikhroli stations due to heavy rain," Sutar said. The station yard in neighbouring Thane was also water-logged and as a result, trains were running slow, railway sources said. In the Kasara Ghat section, located about 130 km from Mumbai, a mudslide occurred on one of the three rail lines early Monday morning, Sutar said. (With PTI)

14:30 (IST)19 Jul 2021
Rains pick up again in Mumbai again

A day after heavy showers battered Mumbai, the rain intensity reduced briefly on Monday morning and picked up momentum again, leading to water-logging at some places and disrupting local train services, officials said. On Sunday, 30 people were killed in the metropolis in rain-related incidents, including 19 in Mahul area of Chembur where a retaining wall collapsed on some houses after a landslide.

On Monday, no fresh death was reported, an official from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said. However, after a brief spell of reduced intensity, the rains picked up pace again, causing inundation in some areas.

22:39 (IST)18 Jul 2021
Maharashtra CM takes stock of situation in rain-battered Mumbai

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday took stock of the preparedness by various government agencies to tackle any emergency with the IMD forecasting a severe wet spell for the next couple of days and issuing orange alert for Mumbai and the Konkan coast.

Thackeray directed the agencies to remain more alert and asked authorities to keep a watch on landslide-prone areas and dilapidated buildings, the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said in a statement. The chief minister reviewed the situation arising out of the heavy rains which pounded Mumbai and neighbouring areas overnight on Saturday, it said.

The CM said power companies should remain careful as high-tension towers are located in the vicinity of many residential areas. "Underground areas should also be cleared given that the water purification centre located in Bhandup in suburban Mumbai was flooded due to rains," the release quoted the CM as saying.

The chief minister also directed authorities to ensure that health workers in COVID-19 centres and field hospitals are kept on standby and steps be taken to ensure there is no spread of water-borne diseases. (PTI)

21:10 (IST)18 Jul 2021
Death toll in rain-related incidents rises to 31

The total death toll in rain-related incidents in Mumbai has now risen to 31. As per the BMC Disaster Management Cell, 19 people died in the Chembur incident and 10 in Vikhroli landslide. Two other people were dead in separate incidents of electrocution and house collapse.

21:08 (IST)18 Jul 2021
Power supply disrupted in certain parts, restored later

Power supply to some areas of Mumbai was affected due to heavy rains.

An Adani Electricity Mumbai Limited spokesperson said, “The heavy rainfall on Saturday night resulted in waterlogging in some areas of our distribution network and for safety reasons, AEML had to switch off the supply of our esteemed customers. As soon as water receded, our teams followed safety protocol and restored the supply. Our Central Disaster Control team is activated and working round the clock towards minimal supply disruption."

The spokesperson added, “The areas which were affected include Mira Road East,  Bhayendra East /West, Saki Naka, Kandivali East,  Malad East and Dahisar. The supply was disconnected around 2.30 am on Sunday morning and most of the supply was restored back by 1 pm. on Sunday afternoon.” (ENS)

21:04 (IST)18 Jul 2021
Dahisar river swells, floods Sanjay Gandhi National Park office, 5 residential quarters

The Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) office and residential quarters of at least five forest officers in the park were damaged after floodwater entered the premises following the torrential rain that hit Mumbai early Sunday morning.

SGNP director G Mallikarjun told The Indian Express that there was a sudden swell in the Dahisar river, which starts from the foothills of the SGNP, and five staff quarters were submerged in water.

“The staff came to my house around 2.30 am. We have shifted everyone to the guesthouse, which is located at a higher altitude. Most of these houses are currently covered with mud. We have lost some computers,” Mallikarjun said. Read full report by Yogesh Naik

Three people were killed after a few huts collapsed in Surya Nagar in Panchsheel Chawl in Vikhroli east. (Express Photo)

15 dead as heavy rain hits Mumbai; several areas inundated

At least 15 people were killed and four others injured in two separate incidents of landslide and house collapse in Mumbai following the heavy rains that lashed the city.

Following the incessant overnight rain in the city, 12 were killed and two others were injured after a retaining wall collapsed in New Bharat Nagar in Mahul. Three others were killed after few huts collapsed in Surya Nagar in Panchsheel Chawl in Vikhroli east.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) which is conducting the rescue operation in Vikhroli, said, “The landslide damaged 15-20 huts constructed at the base of a hillock. There are still over 15 people likely to be trapped under the debris.”

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