May 27, 2025 08:11 AM IST
Officials from the India Meteorological Department said that Mumbai on Monday had its earliest onset of the southwest monsoon in 75 years.
Heavy rainfall pounded Mumbai on Monday as the southwest monsoon arrived in the financial capital, prompting the India Meteorological Department to issue a red alert for the city until 8:30 am on Tuesday.
According to the weather department, the city is forecast to witness generally cloudy skies with moderate to heavy rain in Mumbai and the suburbs. There is also a possibility of thunderstorms or lightning accompanied by gusty winds at isolated places.
The minimum temperature is likely to settle around 24 degrees Celsius, while the maximum is expected to hover around 31 degrees Celsius.
The intense spell of rain resulted in major waterlogging at several parts of Mumbai, including CSMT, Churchgate Station, Mantralaya, Hindmata, King Circle, JJ Marg, among others.
Mumbai rain | Key updates
- Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has been constantly reviewing the situation in the state amid torrential rainfall, instructing his entire administration to be in alert mode. Officials said that he is in regular touch with the state Chief Secretary and the state Disaster Management Cell.
- Mumbai on Monday had its earliest onset of the southwest monsoon in 75 years, IMD officials said. The arrival came more than a fortnight before its usual date.
- Officials said that South Mumbai recorded extremely heavy rainfall, with over 250 mm in just 13 hours ending at 11 am on Monday.
- As per the data from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, Nariman Point received the highest rainfall at 252 mm, followed by the BMC headquarters at 216 mm, and the Colaba pumping station at 207 mm between 10 pm on May 25 and 11 am on May 26.
- Across Maharashtra, four people were killed due to lightning strikes, one in a ceiling collapse, while another drowned. Additionally, three people were killed in separate rain-related incidents in Pune over the past two days, news agency PTI reported, citing officials.
- Amid incessant downpour, rainwater flooded the underground Acharya Atre Chowk metro station. This resulted in the suspension of operations on the Mumbai Metro line 3 between Acharya Atre Chowk and Worli stations. “Due to the sudden and intense rainfall today, water seepage was reported at the under-construction entry/exit structure of Acharya Atrey Chowk station along Dr Annie Besant Road. The incident occurred when the RCC water-retaining wall constructed at the entry/ exit collapsed due to a sudden ingress of water from an adjoining utility,” the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation said in a statement.
- The suburban rail services of the Central and Western Railway network were also disrupted due to heavy waterlogging on the tracks. CR’s chief public relations officer, Swapnil Nila, said water rose 8 inches above the track level between Masjid and Sandhurst Road station, prompting them to halt train operations on the Harbour line.
- Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray slammed the ruling Mahayuti government for failing to prepare the city for the monsoon despite heavy spending. The Congress party also alleged that despite spending crores of rupees, the state administration failed to clean Mumbai, improve roads, or fix the drainage system. Thackeray further attacked the BJP over the waterlogging issue across the state and told news agency ANI, “It is the scam of the BJP across Mumbai and Pune. For the past 2-3 weeks, we have been seeing heavy rainfall across Mumbai, Pune and different areas of Maharashtra. The farmers have not been helped or supported by this government.” He also alleged that Deputy CM Eknath Shinde is “indulging in a road scam”.
- Meanwhile, deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde cited the early arrival of the southwest monsoon and the resultant heavy rain for the inundation of low-lying areas, waterlogging, flooding, and road and rail traffic. “We expected (the pre-monsoon) work to be completed by June 10 and planned work accordingly. It is a fact that the rains have arrived early, and this has caused chaos,” he said.
- Eknath Shinde, who is the Urban Development Minister and also the guardian minister for Mumbai city, said that cleaning of major drains in the city was also underway. He also clarified that a pre-monsoon disaster management meeting with all concerned state and central agencies like the BMC, Coast Guard, NDRF, etc., was held and the system was alert.
