Mumbai: As the southwest monsoon hit Mumbai on Monday, more than a fortnight before its normal onset date, life in the country’s financial capital was thrown off gear.
“Southwest monsoon made its onset over Mumbai on May 26. This is the earliest onset in the last 75 years,” India Meteorological Department (IMD) scientist Sushma Nair said, adding that the normal date is June 11.
With IMD issuing a Red alert for Mumbai, Thane, Raigad and Ratnagiri, schools were closed and offices were given an early holiday.
The city woke up to heavy rainfall and thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds.
Traffic was disrupted in several areas of the city due to waterlogging, falling of trees, electric poles, hoardings, etc.
People were seen wading through knee-high water, while cars, two-wheelers and rickshaws were submerged under water.
Mumbai Metro station shut
A Mumbai Metro railway station had to close down after rain water gushed into the premises.
The Acharya Atre chowk station, which was opened a day earlier with some parts still under construction, was flooded after a preventive barrier put up to stop water broke due to heavy showers.
Newly inaugurated Worli underground metro station of Aqua line 3 submerged in water this morning. #MumbaiRain pic.twitter.com/D0gwopOXBE
— Tejas Joshi (@tej_as_f) May 26, 2025
The Mumbai Metro issued a public notice, saying that the train services on Metro Line-3 are temporarily curtailed.
“Public Notice – Mumbai Metro Line 3 Service Update – Due to an unforeseen technical issue, train services on Metro Line-3 are temporarily curtailed and will operate only up to Worli Station instead of Acharya Atre Chowk. We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused,” Mumbai metro said in a post on X.
Public Notice – Mumbai Metro Line 3 Service Update
Due to an unforeseen technical issue, train services on Metro Line-3 are temporarily curtailed and will operate only up to Worli Station instead of Acharya Atre Chowk .We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused.
— MumbaiMetro3 (@MumbaiMetro3) May 26, 2025
‘Venture out only if necessary’: Deputy CM
Maharashtra deputy CM Eknath Shinde and the Mumbai Police appealed to Mumbaikars to stay at home and not venture out unless extremely necessary.
Shinde visited the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) control room to take stock of the situation.
“BMC and various other government agencies, including the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, SDRF and NDRF, are working together as a team in disaster management and relief work,” Shinde said, adding that drain cleaning is being done with the help of robots.
mumbai is the worst city to live in bhai, aak thu. #MumbaiRains pic.twitter.com/ZVM0gWEWA4
— Keshu (@keshuu_17) May 26, 2025
The torrential downpour also inundated tracks on the Central Railway network. Train services, the lifeline of Mumbai, were affected in the Masjid, Byculla, Dadar, Matunga and Badlapur areas, with several trains cancelled or running late.
One dead, 48 rescued across Maharashtra
The monsoon rains wreaked havoc across Maharashtra. One person died in a lightning strike, and 48 others were rescued from inundated areas Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ office said.
“Pune, Satara, Solapur, Raigad, Mumbai and MMR (Mumbai Metropolitan Region) have received heavy rainfall. Daund received 117 mm of rain in 24 hours, Baramati 104.75 mm, while 63.25 mm was recorded in Indapur,” the CMO said.
At least 25 houses had collapsed partially in Baramati and other places, while seven persons trapped in flooded areas were rescued.
“70 to 80 families have been shifted to safer places. Mobile services that were disrupted yesterday are now being restored,” the CMO said.
