Mumbai News

Heavy showers soak Mumbai, but elude catchment area lakes; orange alert for today – Times of India

MUMBAI: After overnight rain, several parts of the island city and suburbs woke up to heavy showers on Wednesday morning, but the intensity of rainfall continued to remain low in the catchment areas of the seven lakes that supply drinking water to Mumbaikars. Five of the reservoirs are located outside Mumbai, in Thane and Nashik.
After the overnight heavy rain, IMD upgraded the warning status from orange (heavy to very heavy rain at a few places likely) to red (extremely heavy rain at isolated places very likely) for Wednesday, and from yellow (heavy rain at isolated places very likely) to orange for Thursday.

In the 24-hour period ending 6am on Wednesday, Upper Vaitarna received 6mm rainfall, Bhatsa 9mm, Tansa 11mm, Middle Vaitarna 34mm and Modak Sagar 40mm. Vihar and Tulsi lakes, which are located in the city, received 42mm and 80mm of rainfall, respectively.
The total water stock in the lakes on Wednesday was 3.61 lakh million litres, which is 24.9% of the full capacity of the reservoirs. On July 15, 2019, the stock was almost double—6.97 lakh million litres (48.2%). The seven reservoirs should have a total 14.47 lakh million litres by October 1 for the city to go without a water cut for the rest of the year.
In the 24-hour period ending 8.30am on Wednesday, the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) Colaba observatory recorded 122mm of rainfall and the Santacruz observatory, 96.6mm. But later in the day, only parts of the western suburbs received heavy showers. Between 8am and 8.30pm, the Santacruz observatory recorded 81.2mm rainfall and the Colaba station, 39.8mm.
With the active monsoon conditions in the city, the total rainfall recorded this month so far was 912mm, against the normal average for July of 840.7mm, according to IMD. Officials said the city was experiencing rain activity under the influence of a low-level cyclonic circulation over north Konkan in the lower tropospheric levels and an east-west shear zone Konkan area. KS Hosalikar, deputy director-general (western region), IMD, said while rainfall intensity may reduce from Thursday, the wet spell is likely to continue.
Meanwhile, an NDRF team of 25 commandos has been deployed in Thane till August 31 to help with rescue operations in rain-related disasters.
Waterlogging hits traffic movement
Heavy rain showers and waterlogging on Wednesday morning disrupted traffic movement in city. Andheri subway was shut for vehicular movement till late afternoon until water drained out. North-bound traffic movement on Khar subway was also shut. On Western Express Highway, traffic congestion was reported near Andheri, Vile Parle and Santacruz. Mumbai Police, on its Twitter handle, reported waterlogging at Dadar TT, Hindmata Junction, Mahim Junction, SV Road near Andheri, Khar Subway, Linking Road in Bandra, Chandivli Junction along with SCLR bridge, Khetwadi, Sion Road No. 24 and Gandhi Market. BEST buses were diverted on 27 routes.

Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/heavy-showers-soak-mumbai-but-elude-catchment-area-lakes/articleshow/76988687.cms