IMD upgrades warning status for Mumbai and coastal Maharashtra; issues red alert

In the wake of the heavy downpour in Mumbai and coastal Maharashtra, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday upgraded the warning status from orange to red, a special bulletin on the city's rain said on Wednesday.

The city has been witnessing heavy rains since Tuesday night, resulting in water logging in many areas.

Red alert has been issued for Mumbai, R K Jenamani, scientist with the National Weather Forecasting Centre, said.

The bulletin said scattered “heavy to very heavy rainfall” with isolated “extremely heavy falls” are very likely to occur over Mumbai city, Thane, Raigad and Ratnagiri districts during the next 18 hours.

The bulletin added that due to the heavy rains, inundation of low-lying areas is expected. The rains could also lead to disruption in electricity and water supply, local traffic and road transport.

Until 8.30 am, Dadar had recorded 15.9 centimetres of rainfall; Parel 13.2 cms; Colaba 12.9 cms; Worli 11.7 cms; Santacruz 10.6 cms; Santacruz 6.3 cms; Borivali 10.1 cms, as per the bulletin.

From 8.30 am to 11.30 am, Santacruz received 6.3 centimetres of rainfall; Bandra 9.5 cms; Colaba 1.2 cms; Mahalakshmi 5.3 cms; Ram Mandir (western railway) 6.3 cms.