Mumbai Faces imd Heavy Rainfall Alert, Flooding Woes
The city's drainage systems and preparedness are under scrutiny, and a review of dewatering systems has been ordered to prevent similar flooding incidents in the future, as the city struggles to cope with the aftermath of the heavy rainfall and the challenges posed by the early arrival of the monsoon.
Heavy rains lashed Mumbai, India's financial capital, on Monday, marking the early arrival of the annual monsoon, two weeks ahead of schedule, with the Indian Meteorological Department issuing a red alert for the city and a yellow alert for moderate to heavy rainfall till Thursday morning.
The downpour resulted in 80 new flooding spots, mostly in south Mumbai, including areas such as Crawford Market, Churchgate station, and Ballard Estate. The BMC attributed the flooding to unusually heavy rainfall and high tide, which prevented proper drainage. Civic officials have been pulled up for poor preparedness, and a review of dewatering systems has been ordered.
The early arrival of the monsoon is a significant departure from the usual pattern, with rains normally expected in early June. Scientists are unclear on how a warming planet is affecting the complex monsoon system, which brings 70-80% of South Asia's annual rainfall between June and September. Recent heavy rainfall in cities like Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi has led to severe waterlogging, flooding, and disruptions to daily life.
The blame cannot be solely placed on extreme weather events, as outdated drainage systems, uncleared garbage and silt, encroached wetlands, and unplanned growth are major contributors to the mess. Cities like Mumbai and Delhi have significant budgets, but lack effective governance and critical planning. The citizens, especially the poor, bear the brunt of these failures.
Long-term solutions are needed to ensure basic civic infrastructure and mitigate the impact of extreme weather events, which are becoming the norm. India's three-tier government needs to address the country's infrastructure failures caused by extreme weather events to prevent such flooding woes in the future.