The city of Mumbai was battered by record-breaking early monsoon showers on Monday, marking the city's wettest May day in over a century. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has called this the earliest onset of monsoon winds in 75 years.
As nature rains havoc on Mumbai, here are 10 points you need to know about the situation:
1) Heavy showers lash city
Mumbai woke up to intense rainfall in the early hours of Monday morning, with several parts of the city recording over 100mm of rain, such as Dadar, Kurla and Borivali. The downpour continued intermittently, catching early commuters off guard and flooding streets within hours.
2) Waterlogging brings transport to a standstill
Major roads and junctions such as Hindmata, Sion Circle, and the Andheri Subway were inundated, severely impacting traffic. Traffic police teams were quickly dispatched to divert traffic in various areas as videos of half-submerged vehicles and pedestrians wading through knee-deep water quickly circulated online.
3) The Mumbai local freeze
The suburban railway network—a lifeline for thousands of working commuters in Mumbai—faced significant disruptions, especially on the Central and Western lines. Specifically, slowdowns were reported at the Kurla, Dadar, and Nalasopara stations, with waterlogged tracks delaying trains by 15-30 minutes: a critical problem at peak work hours.
4) Flight operations affected
The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport reported delays in both arrivals and departures, with at least 20 flights either delayed or rescheduled due to reduced visibility, heavy rainfall, strong winds and a slippery runway.
5) A municipal flood response is activated
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has deployed more than 200 high-capacity water pumps across flood-prone zones amid orders issued to disaster response teams to stay on high alert. Ward officers have been instructed to monitor chronic hotspots, while stormwater drains were inspected again for any blockages.
6) Civic advisories, not yet shutdowns, for schools
Although schools remained open on Monday, the BMC issued an advisory to parents, urging them to gauge the weather conditions in their area each day, before sending their wards to school. A number of private institutions also conducted online classes—popularised during the pandemic—especially in the suburbs worst affected by the flooding. However, the municipal body has not yet issued any order to shut schools down yet.
7) Rising tide, rising danger
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of a rise in tides measuring 4.35m-tall, expected at around 2:45 PM. Authorities fear that the combination of heavy rain and tidal inflow could further worsen flooding in coastal and low-lying areas, such as Worli, Colaba, and Mahim.
8) Red alert
With intermittent rainfall and strong winds expected to continue, the IMD has placed Mumbai and its adjoining districts under a red alert until 8:30 AM on May 27. Civilians have been advised not to go out, unless necessary, and to keep themselves updated.
9) An early bird monsoon
The IMD officially declared the onset of the Southwest monsoon winds over Mumbai on Monday, noting that it is earlier by two days. The is the earliest onset of the monsoon winds in 75 years, as per IMD scientist Sushma Nair, an article in The Hindu said. Earlier onset is attributed to favourable wind patterns and a deep depression over the Arabian Sea that intensifies rainfall along the Konkan coast in the West.
10) A social media deluge
Mumbaikars still took to social media to share photos and videos of the gloomy skies, submerged streets, stranded commuters, and overloaded buses. Hashtags like #MumbaiRains, #RainBombay, and #Monsoon2025 trended on social media, as netizens exchanged updates and memes capturing the chaos.