by Rons Bantwal
Daijiworld Media Network
Mumbai, Jun 9: The Indian Meteorological Department and the Indian Institute of Technology have already forecast thundershowers with heavy to very heavy rain in the next 24 hours.
If the weathermen and the scientists are right, you will have no choice but to wade your way to work or home because going by the past two days, a heavy downpour will cripple the transport network.
For three consecutive days, the rains have coincided with high tide leading the city fathers to throw up their hands in helplessness. “Flooding will occur if it rains heavily during high tide,” says Phatak. The BMC chief, who had earlier said the city was prepared to take 250-300 mm rainfall made a sharp turnaround, saying even 75 mm of rainfall during high tide could cause considerable water-logging.
Inundated with queries on lack of preparedness for the monsoon from mediapersons, Phatak expressed fears of more heavy rain days. “While there were eight such days last year, the first three days this year have brought in more than 75 mm rainfall,” he said.
Civic authorities are taking extra precautions to ensure that old buildings in the city don't crumble. Authorities have categorized 150 buildings as “most dangerous”, out of which 107 are located in south and central Mumbai.
Residents have been issued evacuation notices with fears that the buildings might collapse in the heavy downpour.
But despite notices, authorities allege the tenants are refusing to move out.
However, After a weekend of heavy downpour, residents of this metropolis today got a respite from rains allowing them to get back to work.
Air, rail and bus services, which were severely affected during the weekend, were plying as usual on Monday as water receded from the roads and tracks.
However, the weather office said that warning to fishermen not to venture into the sea continues as the sea is rough.
Due to active monsoon conditions, the weather office also has given port warning to keep the danger signal No. LC III hoisted at ports from Dahanu to Marmugaon of Maharashtra Goa coast.
Train services on both western and central lines are normal and have not been affected by the rain, railway sources said.
All the morning flights were on time although several flights were delayed over the week-end, airport sources said.
The weather office had forecast thundershowers with possibility of heavy to very heavy rains in parts of city and suburbs accompanied by strong gusty winds.
The southwest monsoon which set in on Saturday was coupled with high tide in the Arabian sea resulting in flooding in several low lying areas, including the railway tracks, throwing normal life out of gear.
The rainfall recorded at Santa Cruz and Colaba observatories during the last 24 hours till 830 am today are 85.1 mm and 92.2 mm respectively, the weather office said.