Mumbai Rains: Rescue Efforts in Lonavla
Lonavla was among the hardest-hit areas, prompting rescue operations in Malvali where residents were trapped in their homes due to flooding. The region’s infrastructure struggled to cope with the deluge, and emergency services were stretched thin.
Mumbai Rains: Detailed Rainfall Data in Pune
In Pune district, rainfall varied significantly. Lavasa logged 205.5mm, while Lavale received 113mm in the 24-hour period. Urban areas like Shivajinagar recorded 39.9mm till Wednesday morning and an additional 7.7mm later in the day. Chinchwad saw 38.5mm initially, with further rainfall in the following hours.
Heavy Rains in Satara and Kolhapur Districts
Mahabaleshwar in Satara district recorded 150mm from Tuesday to Wednesday morning. In Kolhapur district, both Shahuwadi and Gaganbawada recorded 140mm each, making them some of the wettest places in Maharashtra and India on Wednesday, second only to regions in Gujarat.
Mumbai Rains: IMD Issues Severe Weather Warnings
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued “red” and “orange” weather warnings for the Madhya Maharashtra and Konkan regions until July 27, predicting continued heavy to very heavy rainfall. In a TOI report, Medha Khole, head of the weather forecasting division at IMD Pune, explained, “Since Tuesday, we have been receiving moderate rainfall. There is very heavy rain on the outskirts. Lavale received 113mm in the 24 hours till Wednesday morning. From 8:30am till 8:30pm on Wednesday, it received 104mm. In Pune city, we’re witnessing moderate rainfall around four to five cm.”
Khole further detailed the causes of the intense rainfall: “The reasons are mainly an offshore trough off the west coast, on south Gujarat to north Kerala coast. The trough is currently very active. There is also a shear zone around 21-degree north latitude. That shear zone is showing very significant tilting in a southward direction. These factors are contributing to this kind of very intense rainfall activity across the state.”
Mumbai Rains: Flood Threat in Kolhapur
Kolhapur district faces a critical flood situation as the Panchaganga River is expected to cross its danger level of 43 feet late on Wednesday night. As of 7pm on Wednesday, the Panchaganga water level was at 42 feet 7 inches at Rajaram Barrage in Kolhapur city, with a discharge of 62,313 cusecs. The nearby Kalamba Lake also started overflowing, increasing the water level of the Jayanti Nullah and indirectly the Panchaganga River.The Radhanagari Dam, filled to 94% of its capacity by 4pm Wednesday, is likely to open its automatic gates, which would result in additional discharge into the Bhogavati River, a tributary of the Panchaganga. If this happens, the flood situation in Kolhapur city and district is likely to worsen, reminiscent of the severe floods that hit the district in 2019 and 2021.
Mumbai Rains: Nashik’s Infrastructure Struggles
In Nashik, the incessant rain caused potholes to resurface on various roads, complicating driving conditions. Power outages occurred in some areas for a few hours on Tuesday. Motorists blamed the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) for the poor upkeep of roads, which get damaged every monsoon season. The NMC’s helpline received numerous complaints from residents about the deteriorating road conditions.
Mumbai Rains: Forecast and Outlook
According to Medha Khole, the intense rainfall is expected to continue for another 24 to 36 hours, after which a reduction in intensity is anticipated. “Rain activity will not totally stop. It will slow down. We can expect reduced rainfall intensity after 24 to 36 hours. In Pune, similar showers should continue at least for the next 24 hours,” she said.
(With inputs from TOI)
