Mumbai: Expect heavy rain till July 16, says IMD

The city saw its heaviest spell of rainfall in at least three weeks on Monday, with the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) automatic weather station in Santacruz recording 42

The city saw its heaviest spell of rainfall in at least three weeks on Monday, with the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) automatic weather station in Santacruz recording 42.6mm of rain (in eight hours between 8:30am and 5:30am). This was despite a drier morning, with just 2.8mm of rain recorded 24 hours. Official forecasts predict continued heavy showers in the city and suburbs until at least July 16, after which rainfall intensity will reduce.

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Doppler radar images from as late as 1:30am on Sunday showed the presence of rain clouds around the city, but the presence of a cyclonic circulation offshore prevented moisture-laden clouds from penetrating inland. However, the cyclonic circulation moved northward during the day while intensifying into a low pressure area, allowing rain bands to move in over the city and cause isolated heavy showers through the afternoon and evening.

Ratnagiri, for example, recorded 92mm of rain in eight hours on Monday. Within a 24-hour period, areas along the same coast recorded very heavy rainfall, touching 350mm in Murud, 230mm in Dapoli and 124mm in Harnai. “The westerlies resumed during the day and were strengthened by a low pressure system currently prevailing over the west central Bay of Bengal as well. The synoptic situation is good for widespread rain over the Konkan coast next few days,” said Dr Jayanta Sarkar, head of IMD’s regional forecasting centre in Mumbai, on Monday evening.

As per official forecasts, the maximum temperature over the next two days is expected to hover around 31 degrees Celsius and the minimum temperature at 24 degrees Celsius -- down from 31.5 degrees and 25.8 degrees Celsius, respectively, on Monday.

1 dead as bridge collapses in Raigad

NAVI MUMBAI A person died after a slab of a bridge on Alibag-Murud road near Kashid, collapsed due to heavy rain around 8.30pm on Sunday. A motorcycle as well as a four-wheeler that were passing over the bridge fell through the collapsed portion. While motorcyclist Vijay Chavan, 50, resident of Ekdara village in Raigad, died in the accident, the six in the car managed to escape.

According to Murud police officials, the family in the car belonged to Murud and were going to Panvel when the incident happened.

The car, had got stuck in branches of a tree when the family broke the rear window with the help of the car seat’s head rest and came out. The family has been identified as Sagar Bhayde, 40, Shree Bhayde, 9, Shobha Bhayde, 38, Ujita Piple, 38, Pushpa Sakpal, 38, and Neel Bhayde, 4.