Mumbai Witnesses Record-Breaking Rainfall

Although the southwest monsoon arrived late in Mumbai this year, it unleashed exceptionally heavy rainfall over the past week, breaking several long-standing records. Between late June and July 8, the city recorded its highest rainfall for this period since 2000. By July 6, Mumbai had already received nearly 1,240 mm of rain, causing severe flooding across the metropolitan region.

At the Colaba Observatory, 791 mm of rainfall was recorded between July 1 and July 7—almost equal to the area’s average rainfall for the entire month of July. Meanwhile, the Santacruz Observatory received 879 mm during the first week of July, close to its monthly average of 919.9 mm. On July 5 alone, Colaba recorded over 225 mm of rainfall, while Santacruz registered 268 mm within 24 hours, making it the second-highest one-day July rainfall there in the past 15 years.

Why Did Heavy Rainfall Occur During an El Niño Year?

According to scientists from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), several climate factors combined to produce this extreme weather despite El Niño, which typically suppresses monsoon rainfall.

A key reason was the record-high sea surface temperatures in the Arabian Sea. Warmer waters increased evaporation, supplying enormous amounts of moisture to the atmosphere. At the same time, low-pressure systems from the Bay of Bengal tracked westward across central India instead of moving northwest, allowing moisture from both the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal to converge over western India.

The Western Ghats further intensified rainfall by forcing moisture-laden winds to rise, leading to continuous cloud formation and intense downpours over Mumbai.

Climate Change Is Intensifying Extreme Rainfall

Experts say global warming is fundamentally altering monsoon behaviour. A warmer atmosphere can hold about 7% more moisture for every 1°C rise in temperature, resulting in shorter but much more intense rainfall events.

Former IMD Director General K.J. Ramesh and climate scientist Dr. Raghu Murtugudde emphasized that El Niño can no longer be studied in isolation. The interaction between El Niño and climate change is making rainfall increasingly erratic, with fewer rainy days but more frequent cloudbursts and urban flooding across India.

Days of relentless monsoon rain have caused widespread disruption across Maharashtra, with a major landslide forcing the closure of a section of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway near Khandala. The incident has severely affected road and rail connectivity as authorities continue rescue and restoration work.

The landslide occurred near the Khandala exit on the Pune-to-Mumbai carriageway of the expressway’s newly opened “Missing Link” section. Debris from a hillside collapsed near the exit of the 8.9-km tunnel, completely blocking traffic. The high-profile infrastructure project, inaugurated just two months ago at a cost of ₹6,695 crore, is now facing questions over its resilience following the heavy rainfall.

Rail Services Hit by Multiple Landslides

Heavy rain also triggered landslides at several locations along the Mumbai-Pune railway corridor. Railway authorities reported landslides between Karjat-Lonavala and Khandala-Monkey Hill, leading to the cancellation of 16 trains and the diversion of nine long-distance services.

Another landslide near Tunnel No. 40 disrupted rail operations, prompting restoration teams to clear debris and repair tracks. Railway officials are working round the clock to restore normal services as early as possible.

More Landslides Reported Across Maharashtra

Apart from the expressway, fresh landslides were reported in the Varandha Ghat section on the Bhor-Mahad route, where large rocks, trees and mud blocked the highway after continuous rainfall over the past several days. Traffic has been completely suspended on the route while authorities remove debris and assess the stability of the surrounding hillsides.

Officials said no casualties have been reported in the landslide incidents so far. However, residents and commuters have been advised to avoid travel in hilly areas unless absolutely necessary.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast more heavy to very heavy rainfall over the coming days, raising concerns about additional landslides and flooding. Disaster response teams remain on high alert, while motorists are being urged to follow official traffic advisories before undertaking journeys across the affected regions.

Relentless monsoon rains have brought life to a standstill across Mumbai and its surrounding suburbs, triggering widespread flooding, transport disruptions and rain-related fatalities. According to Maharashtra authorities, 13 people have died in various rain-related incidents over the past few days as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a Red Alert for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

Several parts of the city remain waterlogged, with floodwaters rising up to 3 to 4 feet on some roads, severely affecting vehicular movement. The IMD has warned of extremely heavy rainfall accompanied by wind speeds of 80-90 kmph over the next few hours, prompting authorities to advise residents to stay indoors unless absolutely necessary.

Heavy rainfall has also disrupted Mumbai’s suburban railway network. Train services on all three suburban lines have been affected, while operations on the Central Railway’s slow line were temporarily suspended after plastic debris became entangled in overhead power lines between Kanjurmarg and Bhandup stations. Railway officials later restored services after clearing the obstruction.

The State Disaster Management Authority has advised private companies to allow employees to work from home, while government and semi-government offices, except essential services, have been granted a half-day holiday.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis urged citizens to avoid unnecessary travel, assuring that all government agencies remain on high alert to deal with the evolving weather situation. Rescue teams have been deployed across vulnerable areas to respond to emergencies.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has warned residents to stay away from trees, old buildings, electric poles, large hoardings and waterlogged areas due to the risk of accidents caused by strong winds. Citizens have also been asked not to park vehicles under trees and to rely only on official weather advisories.

According to Disaster Management Minister Girish Mahajan, six people were killed after a house collapsed in Mankhurd, while several others lost their lives in incidents involving falling trees across Mumbai, Palghar and Raigad districts.

With heavy to extremely heavy rainfall forecast for the next two days, authorities have urged residents to remain vigilant and avoid non-essential travel.