The southwest monsoon has set in over Mumbai 16 days before the usual date, making it the earliest since 1950, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said .
The primary rain-bearing system reached Kerala on Saturday, marking its earliest arrival over the Indian mainland since 2009, when it reached the southern state on May 23.
The southwest monsoon usually makes its onset over Kerala by June 1, reaches Mumbai by June 11 and covers the entire country by July 8. It starts retreating from northwest India around September 17 and withdraws completely by October 15.
According to the IMD’s Mumbai office, the data available since 1950 shows that this is the earliest arrival of the monsoon in the city.
Last year, the monsoon reached Mumbai on June 25. In preceding years, it arrived on June 11 in 2022, June 9 in 2021, June 14 in 2020, and June 25 in 2019. In 2020, the onset occurred on June 14, while in 2021 it was June 9.
Meteorologists emphasise that the date of monsoon onset has no direct correlation with the total seasonal rainfall..
Following the monsoon arrival, Heavy rainfall was also reported from parts of western Maharashtra and coastal Konkan region. A man died after being struck by lightning in Raigad district, an official said.
Operations on the Metro line 3, also known as the Aqua Line, were suspended between Acharya Atre Chowk and Worli on Monday, after heavy rains inundated an underground station, officials said.
Rains lead to suspension of suburban train services on Central Railway’s Harbour line, while waterlogging was reported from several areas in the metropolis.
Meanwhile, According to PTI, Operations on the Metro Line 3 between Acharya Atre Chowk and Worli were suspended after heavy rains inundated an underground station, officials said.
The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) was forced to halt operations after flooding was reported at the underground Acharya Atre Chowk station.
Viral videos showed waterlogging inside the station, including platforms, ticketing bays, and surrounding areas.
In one such video, rainwater can be seen leaking along the escalators, while the false ceiling inside the station lies collapsed, and some machinery is scattered.
The inundation inside the metro station has raised concerns about construction quality and monsoon preparedness of the underground metro station on the 33-km-long Colaba-BKC-Aarey JVLR underground metro corridor.
In a statement, the MMRC said, “Due to the sudden and intense rainfall today, water seepage was reported at the under-construction entry/exit structure of Acharya Atrey Chowk station along Dr Annie Besant Road. The incident occurred when the RCC water-retaining wall constructed at the entry/exit collapsed due to a sudden ingress of water from an adjoining utility.”
