The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a high alert for Mumbai, forecasting that the city will receive “very heavy rain” on 13 and 14 June.
The weather department on Saturday morning said that the city’s eastern suburbs received 89.30 to 92.38 milimetres of rainfall, while Mumbai city received 79.66 milimetres in the last 24 hours.
Detailing its preparation to prevent or tackle a flood-like situation in the city, the BMC said that all its control rooms, as well as those operated by other agencies, have been issued the “high alert” directive.
#Rain has picked up over northern and central parts of #Mumbai. See the attached screenshot of #Skymets #Mumbairainapp showing last 6 hours rain at various places in Mumbai. Intensity may increase o er other parts as well. #MumbaiRains @SkymetWeather pic.twitter.com/flARov5hAo
— Mahesh Palawat (@Mpalawat) June 12, 2021
Power utility firms like BEST and Adani have also been instructed to ensure preparedness for any situation. Additionally, the Coast Guard, Navy, and NDRF have been told to remain on standby to render help if required, PTI reported.
A BMC statement added that flood rescue squads from the fire brigade have been deployed in six control rooms.
It also said that the storm water drain department had checked and verified the effective functioning of all six pumping stations, as well as of the pumps installed in several flood-prone areas.
“People are advised to not visit beaches, seafronts etc. Temporary shelters in BMC schools located in 24 civic wards have been kept ready. The officials of various agencies have been asked to report to the disaster control room for better coordination,” an official was quoted as saying by PTI.
An NDRF team has been stationed at the Kranti Nagar bank of the Mithi river, with ‘L’ Ward officials being told to monitor the situation in the area continuously and make arrangements to evacuate people if the water level rises, the BMC said.
These measures come in the backdrop of three days of continuous rainfall after the IMD announced the onset of the Southwest Monsoon season in Mumbai on Wednesday. The incessant rains caused flooding on roads and railway tracks, disrupting local train services on Wednesday and Thursday.
Maharashtra: Rain lashes Mumbai city; visuals from Sion area
‘Moderate to heavy’ rainfall is likely to occur in Mumbai & suburbs with ‘possibility of very heavy rainfall at a few places’ during next 48 hours, as per Regional Meteorological Center, Mumbai pic.twitter.com/uVGoVwlfhW
— ANI (@ANI) June 12, 2021
Maharashtra: Rain continues to lash Mumbai; visuals from Western Express Highway at Vile Parle
Regional Meteorological Center, Mumbai says ‘moderate to heavy’ rainfall is likely to occur in Mumbai & suburbs with ‘possibility of very heavy rainfall at a few places’ during 48 hrs pic.twitter.com/jmlLUsYctM
— ANI (@ANI) June 12, 2021
#WATCH | Maharashtra: Andheri Subway waterlogged in Mumbai as rain continues to lash the city pic.twitter.com/uJvAEbVMx5
— ANI (@ANI) June 12, 2021
On Wednesday, the IMD had issued an “orange alert” for Mumbai, predicting “heavy to very heavy rain” at isolated places till Sunday.
The same day, at least 12 people, including eight children, were killed and seven others injured after two floors of a three-storey residential building collapsed on an adjoining single-storey house in Mumbai’s Malad area around 11.15 pm after heavy rains.
Besides, one person died in a separate incident of wall collapse in Dahisar in the evening on Thursday.
On Friday, Mumbai Mirror reported that the city had received 94 percent of its usual June rainfall in two days.
“With showers continuing, the average precipitation is likely to be covered in the first fortnight of June itself. Since 1 June, 474 milimetres of rainfall has been recorded in the city against the average monthly total of 505 milimetres. As much as 338 milimetres of that is above normal for the period,” the report said.
Meanwhile, chief spokesperson of Western Railway, Sumit Thakur, on Friday said that trains on the Western line in Mumbai were running as per usual after the two-day disruption.
On Friday evening, the IMD also issued a warning of extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places in Mumbai’s surrounding areas on Sunday.
It also issued a ‘red alert’ for Ratnagiri and Raigad districts in coastal Maharashtra. A few places in Mumbai and neighbouring Thane may receive heavy rains on Saturday too, it added.
Rainfall of more than 204.5 mm in 24 hours is considered as extremely heavy.
“Mumbai, Thane, Raigad and Ratnagiri districts are very likely to receive extremely heavy rains at isolated places on Sunday. Raigad and Ratnagiri districts have similar alert for Saturday as well,” said the Regional Meteorological Centre of the IMD here.
Mumbai and Thane districts will “very likely receive heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places (on Saturday),” it added.
In the rest of Maharashtra, there will be moderate rains with thunderstorms and lightning in the next two days with varied intensity, the forecast said.
With inputs from PTI