Mumbai records highest 24-hour August rainfall since 1974, India
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) recorded 332 mm (13 inches) of rainfall in Mumbai in a 24-hour period to Thursday, August 6, 2020, marking the city's highest August rain received in 24 hours since 1974.
Heavy rains accompanied by wind speeds as high as 106 km/h (66 mph) lashed Mumbai on Wednesday, causing flooding and damaging properties in the city.
According to local Suraj Agarwal, people had not witnessed such heavy rainfall even during the 26/7 — the 2005 Maharashtra flood.
26/7 (or July 26) refers to the day when severe floods brought the city to a standstill. The floods were caused by the 8th heaviest-ever recorded 24-hour rainfall figure of 944 mm (37.17 inches) which hit the city on July 26, 2005, and continued for the next week.
644 mm (25.35 inches) was received within the 12-hour period between 08:00 and 20:00 LT. The previous record high rainfall in a 24-hour period for Mumbai was 575 mm (22.6 inches) in 1974.*
Many properties were damaged and trees were downed. A total of 112 trees fell, 29 in suburbs and the rest in the island city. Six houses collapsed and 10 short circuit incidents were reported.
In a 24-hour period to Thursday, IMD's Colaba Center recorded 332 mm (13 inches) of rain, the highest August rain in 46 years.
Heavy rains coincided with the 4.41 m (14.4 feet) high tide at 13:19 LT which receded only around 19:30 LT, leading to heavy flooding across the city.
"There is a major outfall (which brings all the rainwater from the area to the sea) opposite Wilson College near Chowpatty. The tide was so high that it was above the outfall, so there was no chance of the rainwater going into the sea. There was unprecedented rainfall through the day,” said Prashant Gaikwad, assistant municipal commissioner, D ward.
Since the monsoon season began, Mumbai recorded 2 319.7 mm (91.3 inches) of rain, surpassing the season's average rainfall of 2 260.4 mm (88.9 inches) in the first 65 days of the season.
Featured image credit: Markus Große Ophoff
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