Rain brings relief, civic problems

The city witnessed heavy thundershowers on Friday in the island city and parts of the suburbs during the day and in the evening, catching many citizens unawares. The heavy showers in south Mumbai and the northwestern suburbs also caused traffic snarls on the Western Express Highway.

The city witnessed heavy thundershowers on Friday in the island city and parts of the suburbs during the day and in the evening, catching many citizens unawares. The heavy showers in south Mumbai and the northwestern suburbs also caused traffic snarls on the Western Express Highway.

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According to the civic body’s disaster management cell, the highest rainfall on Friday – 32.9mm was recorded at Colaba, while Goregaon recorded 22.9mm, the highest in western suburbs. Santacruz received 6.4mm of rain. The eastern suburbs recorded negligible rainfall. Weather officials said that since the monsoon has not advanced beyond Harnai, it would still take at least 48 hours for the official onset of monsoon.

“The humidity in southern Mumbai was quite high on Friday at 95%, and the city received thundershowers due to a lot of moisture build up,” said Ajay Kumar, meteorologist, India Meteorological Department (IMD).

On Friday, the maximum temperature at Colaba was 33.6 degrees Celsius and the minimum temperature was 26.8 degrees Celsius. At Santacruz, the maximum temperature was 32.3 degrees Celsius and the minimum temperature was 25.4 degrees Celsius.

Commuters travelling back home from Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) were inconvenienced as suburban railway trains on the harbour line were delayed.

“I was waiting for a 6.12pm Panvel local that eventually arrived at 6.40pm. There was no train on the other harbour line,” said Vidya Nair, 24, an advocate who lives in Sion Koliwada.