Mumbai finally received the southwest monsoon on Tuesday after a delay of 13 days beyond its usual arrival date of June 11. The long-awaited rains brought relief from the city's intense heat and humidity. However, the heavy downpour also caused widespread waterlogging and traffic disruptions in several areas.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for Mumbai on Wednesday and predicted more heavy rainfall. Authorities have also placed several parts of Maharashtra under yellow and orange alerts as wet weather continues across the state.

Heavy Rain Floods Roads and Subways

Rainfall continued through the night and into Tuesday morning, leading to severe waterlogging in many parts of Mumbai. Flooded roads slowed traffic and created difficulties for commuters across the city. Civic authorities restricted access to several affected locations to prevent accidents and ensure public safety.

A subway in Everard Nagar was shut after floodwaters submerged the area, according to reports. Videos from different parts of Mumbai, including the area around Saki Naka Metro station, showed vehicles struggling to move through waterlogged streets.

BMC Officials Work to Keep Commuters Safe

Officials from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) remained on the ground to prevent vehicles from entering flooded underpasses.

Speaking about the situation at the Andheri underpass, BMC official Rhitik said, "... We have not been able to find a temporary solution for this severe water logging... Our officers keep standing here to ensure vehicles don't pass through. But some rikshaw drivers still try to get their vehicles across... A rikshaw got stuck here in the centre of the subway. His life was in danger... Two of our officers helped bring him out..."

Another BMC official, Robert, said, "... We are doing our best to ensure that no vehicles get inside the underpass... We are trying to protect as many people as possible..."

Authorities continued monitoring flood-prone areas and urged residents to avoid waterlogged routes whenever possible.

Rainfall Recorded Across the City

The IMD recorded significant rainfall across Mumbai during the past 24 hours. Colaba received 49 mm of rain in the 24-hour period ending at 8:30 am on Tuesday, while Santacruz recorded 12 mm during the same period.

Between 8:30 am and 5:30 pm on Tuesday, Colaba received another 35.6 mm of rainfall. Santacruz, which serves as Mumbai's main weather station, recorded 8.9 mm during those hours.

Data from IMD's automatic rain gauges showed that Byculla recorded the highest rainfall at 42.5 mm. Sion followed with 21.5 mm, while Mahalaxmi received 18 mm. Bandra recorded 17 mm, Ram Mandir 13 mm, Vidyavihar 5.5 mm, and Vikhroli 5 mm.

One of the Most Delayed Monsoon Arrivals

This year's monsoon arrival ranks among the latest ever recorded in Mumbai. The June 24 onset is tied as the third-latest monsoon arrival in the city since weather records began in 1951. The latest arrival came on June 25 in 1959, 2019, and 2022.

Before this year, the monsoon had also reached Mumbai on June 24 in 1974. Another delayed arrival occurred on June 23 in 1981. The delayed onset extended the city's wait for relief from hot and humid weather conditions.

Monsoon Advances Across More Regions

While announcing the monsoon's progress, the IMD confirmed that the southwest monsoon had expanded into additional parts of the country.

“The Southwest Monsoon has further advanced into the remaining parts of the central Arabian Sea, some more parts of Maharashtra, including Mumbai, the remaining parts of Telangana and Odisha, and some more parts of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Bihar. The northern limit of the monsoon passes through Dahanu, Wardha, Raipur, Daltonganj, and Motihari.”

With more rain expected in the coming days, authorities remain on alert as Mumbai prepares for an active monsoon season after one of its longest waits in recent decades.