Mumbai Rains: What IMD Predicts For Today And Why The City Struggles During Monsoon

Following six straight days of incessant rains that resulted in waterlogging, traffic congestion, and suspension of rail and air services, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has announced a yellow alert for Mumbai on Thursday. The weather forecasting panel has predicted light to moderate rain accompanied by generally overcast skies for the metropolis and suburbs, providing some relief from the continuous showers.

All Konkan districts are highly likely to see light to moderate rain, with moderate rain forecast for South Madhya Maharashtra, and light rain for Marathwada and North Maharashtra, as per the IMD. Mumbai city and other districts like Pune, Thane, Ahmednagar, Solapur, Satara, Jalna and Nagpur have been issued a yellow alert and previously had red and orange alerts functioning for the city.

The continuous spell of rain, effective since last week, has already resulted in more than 4,600 people being shifted from nine municipalities of Maharashtra, including Mumbai Suburban, Thane, Palghar, Ratnagiri, Raigad, Satara, Pune, Sangli, and Nanded. Meanwhile, water levels in the Krishna River have increased and the Maharashtra government has asked Karnataka for cooperation to raise the discharge of water from Koyna Dam so that there is no flooding in the surrounding villages.

Why Mumbai is facing Monsoon crisis?

Mumbai’s recent heavy rainfall calamities once again demonstrate the city’s fragile urban infrastructure that fails to cope with heavy monsoons. Urbanization has rapidly outstripped the development of drainage and water management systems. Much of the existing infrastructure was built decades ago and inhibited by outdated city planning, is unable to cope with heavy rainfall disasters. In addition, whatever natural drainage, wetlands, and water bodies that were once absorbing this excess rain water descends have been obstructed or eliminated making it vulnerable to flooding.

Experts also warned that climate change is now hitting the city because monsoon seasons are becoming more unpredictable with weather anomalies such as floods, unseasonable rain, and droughts become more common. The unpredictability does not only disrupt everyday urban life in metropolitan financial districts like Mumbai, it also disrupts agricultural systems and millions of livelihoods depending on seasonal rainfall throughout the country.

For now, the Mumbaikar can expect overcast skies and isolated light to moderate rain on Thursday around temperatures between 24°C – 28°C.

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