Mumbai's Nariman Point will be under water by 2050, says civic body chief; explains why

In the last few years, Mumbai has become susceptible to extreme weather conditions, which are indications of climate change impact, Iqbal Singh Chahal said.

Within 25 to 30 years, South Mumbai's Nariman Point, the state secretariat will go be engulfed by the rising seawater level, Mumbai municipal corporation Iqbal Singh Chahal has recently said. There are enough warnings that nature is giving, but if people do not wake up, the situation will take such a dangerous turn that 80 per cent of areas like Cuffe Parade, Nariman Point and Mantralaya will just disappear, Singh said. The disaster will not be for the next generation to witness, the civic chief said, adding that people from this generation only will see it as it might take place in another 25 years.

Around 80 per cent of areas in Mumbai like Cuffe Parade, Nariman Point and Mantralaya will just disappear, Mumbai municipal corporation Iqbal Singh Chahal has recently said. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT PHOTO)

Climate experts have observed that Mumbai, of late, witnessed some extreme weather conditions, the latest being the recent thunderstorm that took place in the city in July.

In 2020, cyclone Nisarga hit Mumbai fr the first time in 129 years and then in the last 15 months, there have been three cyclones. "On August 5, 2020, about 5 to 5.5 feet water was accumulated at Nariman point. There was no cyclone warning that day, but considering the parameters, it was a cyclone," Chahal said.

"Earlier, we used to hear about climate change events like melting glaciers, but not directly affecting us. But now it has come to our doorstep," he added.

This year's monsoon has been erratic as the city received maximum rainfall before the scheduled date of the monsoon's arrival. Before June 9, Mumbai recorded 84 per cent of the June rainfall. In July too, instead of being equally distributed across the month, the maximum rainfall took place over four days.

(With PTI inputs)