india

Mumbai Rains: Maximum City suffers under earliest ever arrival of monsoon, wettest May in 100 years

Mumbai experienced its earliest-ever monsoon onset on Monday, breaking multiple weather records. The monsoon typically arrives around June 11, but this year it arrived weeks early. Alongside this, the city recorded unprecedented May rainfall, with Colaba logging 439 mm, surpassing a century-old record from 1918. Santacruz also recorded significant rainfall at 272 mm. In just one hour, Nariman Point received 104 mm, though IMD classified it as an 'intense rain spell,' not a cloudburst. The heavy showers exposed the city's lack of preparedness, causing waterlogging in new areas, including the Acharya Atre Chowk Metro station and Mantralaya. Train and flight services were disrupted, with over 68 train services cancelled and multiple flights diverted. Several incidents of building damage, road cracks, and tree falls were reported. A yellow alert has been issued for Mumbai, highlighting the potential for continued adverse weather. The event underscores the need for improved urban flood resilience.

first published: May 27, 2025 02:35 pm