Weather Update: Heavy rains lash Mumbai; Kerala braces for extreme weather as IMD issues alerts

Weather: Rain in Mumbai

Mumbai and its metropolitan region were hit by heavy rains on July 20, causing waterlogging in several areas. The Andheri Subway was temporarily closed due to flooding, with traffic diverted to SV Road, according to the Mumbai Traffic Police.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had forecasted these rains on July 19, predicting moderate spells of rain for Mumbai, Raigad, Thane, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg over the next three to four hours.

The IMD’s Mumbai centre stated in their nowcast warning issued at 7 am, "Moderate spells of rain are very likely to occur at isolated places in the districts of Mumbai, Raigad, Thane, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg during the next 3-4 hours."

Despite the heavy downpour, rail services remained unaffected, although road transport experienced disruptions. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) reported that pumps were operated at various subways, including Andheri, Malad, Dahisar, Mankhurd, Poisar, and Khar, to alleviate waterlogging.

In stark contrast, Delhi faced a heatwave with temperatures soaring to 37.51°C. The day’s forecast indicated a minimum temperature of 28.05°C and a maximum of 38.47°C, with a relative humidity of 43% and wind speeds reaching 43 km/h. The IMD issued a yellow alert for Delhi, advising residents to take precautions against the heat. Tomorrow's forecast predicts even higher temperatures, with a minimum of 34.73°C and a maximum of 41.76°C.

Kerala is also bracing for extreme weather, with the IMD issuing an orange alert for several districts, including Ernakulam. The state is expected to experience heavy rainfall, with a warning for rough to very rough sea conditions in coastal areas adjoining the Bay of Bengal. In Ernakulam, heavy rains lashed parts of the city, and the IMD has advised caution in response to the adverse weather conditions.

The IMD has issued a red alert for extremely heavy showers in Telangana, Karnataka, Goa, and Maharashtra on July 20. An orange alert is in place for Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha. The department has also forecasted heavy rainfall for Gujarat on July 21 and 22 and for Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh until July 23. In Northwest India, Rajasthan is on alert for heavy precipitation on July 21, Himachal Pradesh on July 22 and 23, and Uttarakhand until July 22.

In Telangana, heavy rains led to flooding in a rivulet, stranding 40 people in agricultural fields. Disaster management personnel used two helicopters to rescue the stranded individuals, who were then taken to a relief camp in the Bhadradri-Kothagudem district.