Heavy rains soak Mumbai overnight; IMD forecasts more showers

Mumbai: Amid the 'red alert' warning, Mumbai was lashed by heavy overnight rains, with the intensity easing by early Sunday morning.

Local train services of the Central Railway and Western Railway were running with some delays, while buses of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking were plying without any diversion.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday issued a 'red alert', predicting "heavy to very heavy" rainfall in Mumbai on Sunday, officials said.

A civic official said, quoting the IMD's forecast issued at 8 am, said Mumbai will witness "cloudy sky with heavy to very heavy rainfall accompanied with thunderstorm/lightning and gusty winds reaching 40-50kmph very likely in the city & suburbs." There was a "possibility of extremely heavy rain at isolated places," as per the weather department.

Heavy showers lashed Mumbai after midnight, though the intensity reduced by the early hours, and most parts of the city have since been receiving light to moderate rain, with intermittent intense spells.

There will be a high tide of 3.24 metres at 2.55 pm and a low tide of 1.31 metres at 8.50 pm, an official said.

Heavy rain coupled with high tide leads to waterlogging in low-lying areas, while low tide helps in speedy water receding.

In the 24 hours ending at 8 am on Sunday, the island city recorded an average rainfall of 71.99 mm, while the eastern and western suburbs received 70.44 mm and 81.42 mm rainfall, respectively.

The IMD has also sounded a 'red alert' for neighbouring Raigad, Thane, and Palghar districts on Sunday.