Rain clobbers Maharashtra, high alert in Konkan

Mumbai, July 5 (IANS) Heavy rains continued to batter coastal Konkan Maharashtra, including Mumbai, for the third consecutive day on Sunday, and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued high alerts for the next two-five days, officials said.

As incessant rains pounded the city, Mumbai’s Powai Lake started overflowing on Sunday noon. The famed picnic spot of Bhushi Dam in Lonavala (Pune district) also started overflowing after three days of rain in the region, bringing cheers to the locals.

Over the weekend, the entire Konkan belt and parts of western and northern Maharashtra received good rain, and upbeat farmers got busy with the sowing season.

The South-west Monsoon, which usually hits Mumbai around June 10, was disturbed owing to the Cyclone Nisarga that hit Raigad on June 3.

After over a three-week delay, Mumbai finally got the first monsoon showers and the past three days seemed to make up for the season’s early deficit. On Sunday, Mumbai received 8-10 cm rain.

Based on satellite and radar images, fresh heavy rainfall warnings had been issued for the Maharashtra and Gujarat coasts, said IMD Deputy Director-General K.S. Hosalikar.

Heavy overnight rain also saw water-logging in several parts of Mumbai, including Chembur, Kings Circle, Sion, Dadar, Parel, Goregaon and Malad.

The IMD has forecast heavy to very heavy rain over the next three days (till July 7) in Mumbai, Thane, Palghar and Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg (till July 9), and similar conditions over the next two days in Pune, Nashik, Dhule, Nandurbar, Jalgaon, Satara and Kolhapur.

Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the Arabian Sea due to strong winds along the coast and in the high seas, and 3-4.1 metres high waves off the Maharashtra and Goa coasts over the next five days (till July 9).

–IANS

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