Mumbai Red Alert: Extreme Rainfall Likely on September 28, IMD Issues Warning

The India Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for Mumbai, Thane, Raigad and Palghar on September 28, warning residents to brace for extremely heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, lightning and strong winds. The alert will remain in place through Monday morning and comes after a steady increase in rain activity across the region.

Over the past 24 hours, Mumbai recorded significant rainfall with 54 millimetres at Colaba and 12 millimetres at Santacruz, pushing the city’s September total well beyond its monthly average. The monsoon has not yet withdrawn and weather systems over the Bay of Bengal are expected to feed more rain into the city and its surrounding districts.

The IMD had already placed Mumbai and nearby areas under an orange alert today for heavy to very heavy showers. The move to red for Sunday signals a sharper rise in intensity, particularly in vulnerable and flood-prone neighbourhoods.

Civic authorities have asked citizens to exercise caution and avoid non-essential travel. People have been urged to stay away from waterlogged roads, keep clear of low-lying areas and avoid taking shelter under trees during thunderstorms. Stormwater drains, riverbanks and coastal stretches are being closely monitored by disaster management teams which are on standby.

Elsewhere, the Marathwada and Konkan regions have already suffered flooding, crop loss and transport disruptions due to recent downpours. Relief and rescue teams have been deployed and the state government is working to ensure support reaches affected farmers.

With infrastructure under strain and forecasts predicting intense rainfall, residents of Mumbai and adjoining districts are advised to remain indoors as far as possible, follow weather updates and stay prepared for one of the season’s heaviest rain events.