Heavy rainfall has lashed Mumbai, causing waterlogging in the city and suburbs. A Met official said that Mumbai received one of the highest showers in the last 24 hours of this monsoon season and more rainfall is likely in the city and suburbs. 

The Santacruz observatory received 286.4 mm rainfall during a 24-hour period. This is the fourth-highest rainfall in the city’s history, said an IMD official. 

“Today’s rainfall of 286.4 mm ending at 8.30 am on September 23 is the fourth-highest between 1974 and 2020,” the official said, as per PTI reports.

The India Meteorological Department Mumbai’s record of Santacruz observatory since 1974 reported 318.2 mm rainfall in 24 hours on September 23, 1981, 312.4 mm rainfall on September 23, 1993 and 303.7 mm rainfall on September 20, 2017.

The Colaba observatory (in south Mumbai) too recorded 147.8 mm rainfall during the same period.

Since June 1 this year, the Santacruz observatory has so far recorded 3,571.1 mm downpour, while the Colaba observatory has recorded 3,147.3 mm rainfall during the period, PTI reports said.

To put it into perspective, according to the IMD, rainfall recorded below 15 mm is considered light, between 15 and 64.5 mm is moderate and above 64.5 mm is heavy.

In the last 24 hours, Mumbai has received one of the heaviest showers of this year’s monsoon and more rainfall is expected on Wednesday, MeT officials said.

The city and suburbs are predicted to receive heavy rainfall on Wednesday, said India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) Mumbai centre Deputy Director-General K S Hosalikar. 

Vehicles move on a waterlogged street followed heavy rain at Wadala in Mumbai on Wednesday.

Several parts of Mumbai received more than 120 mm rainfall in the last 24 hours, the MeT department said.

The Ram Mandir area received 298 mm rainfall, while Dahisar received 190 mm rainfall during the period.

Diwale area, in neighbouring Navi Mumbai, received 304 mm rain, Nerul-301.7 mm, CBD Belapur-279.8 mm, Sanpada-185.1 mm, Vashi-179.5 mm and Ghansoli-136.9 mm in the last 24 hours.

Besides, in neighbouring Thane city, Kopri area received 195.3 mm rain, Chirak Nagar-136.5 mm and Dhokali area got 127 mm during the same period.

Waterlogging in many places in the metropolis has suspended rail and road services. Trees have been uprooted in several areas and the Regional Meteorological Centre have warned against power cuts and the threat of old buildings collapsing.

As per reports from ANI, the Bombay High Court chief justice has also suspended the court hearings.