Downpour brings relief to Mumbai

Maharashtra, reeling under severe water shortage, has received one-fourth of the total average annual rainfall in the first fortnight of monsoon season, according to the chief minister's office.

Releasing the rainfall data of various districts on Monday, officials pointed out that the total annual average rainfall in Maharashtra is 115.99 centimetres (cm) but this time it has received an average of 25.52 cm  which is higher than the average rainfall for June -24.06 cm. The state usually banks on July rainfall which is considered the wettest month here.

The figures also revealed that during this monsoon, nearly 35 districts have received rainfall with three receiving more than 100 per cent of rain quota for June; the three drought-prone Marathwada districts—Parbhani, Osmanabad and Solapur—have received between 75 and 100 per cent.

The other low-rainfall district Sangli in western Maharashtra, which notches an average rainfall of 41.84 cm, has already received 8.10 cm, whereas the average June's rainfall for this region is 8.52 cm. However, Marathwada's Beed district, which was in the reports for water shortage till date, has received only 5.81 cm rainfall, making it the only region having the lowest rainfall of 50-100 per cent bracket.
The green ribbon running through the Western coast of Maharashtra-Konkan has been recording heavy rainfall.  Ratnagiri has already recorded 86.65 cm of rainfall against its June average of 81.79 cm.

Mumbai city has recorded 74.89 cm as compared to its June average of 55.15 cm. The suburbs recorded 75.58 cm rain, compared to the average of 54.44 cm.