The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday issued a fresh alert for widespread heavy rainfall across Maharashtra, warning of intense downpours, thunderstorms, and gusty winds over the next four days, till Thursday.
Konkan and the adjoining ghat areas of Central Maharashtra can expect widespread rainfall accompanied by heavy to very heavy falls at a few places and isolated extremely heavy rainfall. In Marathwada, scattered to fairly widespread showers are expected, with isolated heavy to very heavy rain. Additionally, there is a high possibility of lightning, thunder, and gusty winds reaching 40-50 kmph during this period.
IMD’s red alert for Mumbai warning remains in effect till 4 pm on Monday.
Authorities in Mumbai, Pune, and other affected districts have been put on alert, with disaster management teams on standby.
The weather bulletin attributes the adverse conditions in the coastal region of the state to a combination of systems – including a well-marked low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal – expected to intensify into a depression, an active monsoon trough passing through parts of Madhya Maharashtra and Vidarbha, an upper-air cyclonic circulation over the northeast Arabian Sea and Gujarat, a shear zone along latitude 19°N, and an offshore trough from south Konkan to north Kerala.
Warnings
Fishermen along the Maharashtra coast have been strongly advised against venturing into the sea. Squally weather with wind speeds of 45-55 kmph, gusting up to 65 kmph, is expected off the north Maharashtra coast (Dahanu to Shrivardhan) and south Maharashtra–Goa coast (Bankot to Marmugao) until Friday. Ports in the region have hoisted Local Cautionary Signal No III (LC-III), signalling potential hazards for maritime activities.
The IMD’s flash flood guidance warns of possible localised flooding in low-lying and urban areas, uprooting of weak trees, collapse of old structures, road, rail, air, and ferry disruptions, and interruptions in water and electricity supply. Coastal districts may experience rough seas, while riverine flooding is likely in some catchments, the weather bureau has warned. Landslides, mudslides, rockfalls, and damage to crops and plantations are also expected in vulnerable areas. Residents are urged to stay indoors during thunderstorms, avoid water bodies, and follow updates from the IMD and Central Water Commission, the weather bureau said in a press release.
For regular updates, citizens can visit the IMD websites: mausam.imd.gov.in, mausam.imd.gov.in/mumbai, and imdnagpur.gov.in, or contact the Regional Weather Forecasting Centre, Mumbai, at +91 022 22150431/22174719/22174735.
