Mumbai, May 27 (IANS) Even before the official onset of the monsoon, Mumbai has been battered by intense rainfall, leading to widespread disruption across the city.

The heavy downpour triggered 79 incidents, including tree falls, house wall collapses, and electrical short circuits, which severely impacted traffic movement and caused major inconvenience to commuters navigating through waterlogged streets.

According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), 25 incidents of fire caused by short circuits were reported in different parts of the city.

In 45 separate locations, trees were uprooted, blocking roads and damaging nearby vehicles and structures. Additionally, nine cases of partial building collapses or wall collapses were recorded.

One of the most serious incidents occurred near St. Xavier’s College in the Fort area of South Mumbai, where a 24-year-old man, identified as Sairaj Pawar, was injured after a tree collapsed on him.

He was immediately rushed to St. George Hospital, where doctors confirmed that his condition is now stable.

In another incident, part of a ground-plus-two-storey residential building collapsed on Cadell Road in Mahim West, trapping two residents under the debris. Fortunately, both individuals were rescued safely without any major injuries.

The BMC has issued advisories urging citizens to stay indoors during heavy rain and avoid areas prone to flooding or structural vulnerabilities.

According to the BMC’s weather forecast issued at 8.00 a.m. on Tuesday, Mumbai is expected to witness a generally cloudy sky with moderate to heavy rain across the city and suburbs, along with the possibility of thunder, lightning, and gusty winds at isolated places.

In the last 24 hours, the city recorded an average rainfall of 106 mm in the city region, 63 mm in the eastern suburbs, and 72 mm in the western suburbs.

High tides of 4.88 metres and 4.18 metres are expected at 12.13 p.m. and 11.56 p.m., respectively, while low tides are forecast at 6.13 p.m. and 6.05 a.m. the following day.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a Red Alert for extremely heavy rainfall in the districts of Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Kolhapur, and Satara for the day.

An Orange Alert has been issued for Raigad, Pune, Beed, Hingoli, Nanded, and Parbhani, indicating the likelihood of heavy to very heavy rainfall.

Mumbai falls under the Yellow Alert category, along with Thane, Jalgaon, Nashik, Ahilyanagar, Sangli, Jalna, and other districts, which indicates the possibility of moderate to heavy rain.

Authorities are closely monitoring the situation, with disaster response teams on standby.

Citizens have been advised to follow weather updates and take necessary precautions as the city braces for more intense showers in the coming days.

–IANS

rs/dpb