Mumbai Sets 107-Year Record with Unprecedented May Rainfall
Mumbai, India’s financial capital, has made history with an unprecedented deluge. The city recorded the highest-ever rainfall for the month of May in the past 107 years, bringing life to a grinding halt. Since midnight on Sunday, torrential downpours have left Mumbai waterlogged, disrupting daily life across several parts of the metropolis. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Mumbai and surrounding districts, underscoring the severity of the situation.
As of 11:00 a.m. on Monday, many areas under the jurisdiction of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) recorded more than 200 millimetres of rainfall. Southern Mumbai was particularly affected, with Nariman Point Station registering a staggering 252 mm of rain. Other severely impacted areas included E-Ward in Byculla with 213 mm, Colaba with 207 mm, and Dadar’s Dadar TT Station with 202 mm. Localities such as Marine Lines, Chandanwadi, Memonwada, and Worli also reported rainfall exceeding 170 mm.
According to the Colaba Observatory, the total rainfall recorded in May this year has reached 295 millimetres—surpassing the previous record of 279.4 millimetres set in May 1918. This rare event has caused immense distress to city residents.
Meteorologists have attributed the deluge to the early onset of the southwest monsoon, which reached Maharashtra ten days ahead of schedule. Typically arriving after June 5, this year’s monsoon began affecting the region by the last week of May. Experts noted that such early arrival of monsoon rains over Mumbai hasn’t been observed since 1990.
In response to the situation, the IMD issued red alerts for the districts of Mumbai, Thane, Raigad, and Ratnagiri, cautioning residents to avoid stepping out unless absolutely necessary. These warnings will remain in effect until Tuesday morning. BMC teams, along with personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), have been deployed to evacuate residents from low-lying areas. With traffic jams and disruption to local train services reported in several locations, commuters have been severely impacted.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has reviewed the evolving situation and issued directives to the concerned officials. The government has urged citizens to remain vigilant, emphasizing that the next 24 hours will be critical.