Activist say deluge and all-too-familiar disruptions reaffirm need for robust infrastructure
Pic/Kirti Surve Parade
The downpour that lashed the city and Mumbai Metropolitan Region on the evening of September 25 pushed Mumbai’s September rainfall past the 350 mm monthly average, according to meteorological data.
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The Colaba and Santacruz observatories of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) recorded 169 mm and 170 mm of rainfall respectively. Some areas of Mumbai received over 250 mm of rain in just a few hours, causing widespread disruption across various services, including public transport. Schools in Mumbai were given a holiday on September 26 due to heavy rain as well. Statistically, Mumbai has now exceeded its September average, continuing a trend of fluctuating rainfall patterns witnessed in recent years.
In comparison, according to IMD data, September 2023 closed with a total of 483 mm of rain, also surpassing the monthly average of approximately 360 mm. “Though this year’s total rainfall figures for September are still being calculated as the month is yet to end, early signs suggest that 2024 might add another chapter to the city’s unpredictable monsoon narrative with rain being recorded from a mere 30 mm on some days to 250 mm in some hours in the same month,” said an IMD official.
“The rain has reaffirmed the need for robust infrastructure to handle such situations. The weather department issued a red alert but it was too late as the rain had already intensified by then,” said an activist from King’s Circle who did not wish to be named.
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