Monsoon revival: Orange alert for Mumbai, Thane ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi

As Mumbai approaches the festive season, with Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations set to begin on Monday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) placed Mumbai under an orange alert on Sunday for 24 hours, indicating heavy to very heavy rainfall to continue throughout the day.

Meanwhile, records from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) show that multiple pockets in Mumbai recorded 100 mm of rainfall between 1 am and 10 am on Sunday. The orange alert was announced Sunday afternoon and will remain in place until 8.30 am on Monday.

Alongside Mumbai, the neighbouring districts of Thane and Palghar have also been placed under an orange alert, while Raigad remains under a yellow alert. On Sunday morning, Mumbai woke up to an intense spell of rainfall.

This follows a rain deficit in August. According to the IMD's Santacruze observatory, the IMD's Santacruze observatory recorded 79 mm of rainfall, followed by 40.8 mm recorded at the coastal observatory at Colaba. The BMC's weather system shows that Mumbai's eastern suburbs recorded the highest rainfall in the last 24 hours at 72.71 mm, followed by 65.96 mm in the western suburbs and 52.07 mm in the island city.

Furthermore, the BMC's record shows that Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) recorded 147 mm of rainfall between 1 am and 10 am on Sunday, followed by 135.6 mm at Chembur and Bandra, 133.6 mm at Magathane, 106.2 mm at Sewri and 103.8 mm recorded at Dadar.

While no forecast alert has been issued for Mumbai between September 14 and 17, the IMD, in its five-day forecast, says moderate to light spells of rainfall will continue. Orange alert for: Mumbai, Thane and Palghar until Monday 8.30 am Pratip Acharya is a seasoned journalist based in Mumbai reporting for The Indian Express.

With a career spanning over a decade, his work demonstrates strong Expertise and Authority in critical urban issues, civic affairs, and electoral politics across Eastern and Western India. Expertise & Authority Current Role: Journalist, The Indian Express (IE), reporting from Mumbai.

Core Authority: Pratip's reporting focuses sharply on local democracy and development, specializing in: Urban Governance and Civic Affairs: Providing in-depth analysis of municipal decision-making, city planning, and local infrastructure, essential for informed urban reporting.

City Politics and Environment: Covering the political dynamics of Mumbai and surrounding areas, alongside critical environmental challenges impacting the metro region. Electoral Coverage (High-Stakes Experience): He has extensive experience in high-stakes political reporting, having covered major elections, establishing his Trustworthiness in political analysis: National: Lok Sabha elections in 2014 and 2019.

State: West Bengal Assembly elections in 2016 and Maharashtra Assembly elections in 2019. Major Assignments (Ground Reporting): Pratip demonstrated commitment during crises by conducting ground reporting throughout the Covid-19 pandemic since its breakout in 2020, offering first-hand accounts and analysis of the public health crisis.

Experience Extensive Experience: Starting his career in 2014, Pratip has built his foundation across multiple prominent English dailies: Started at The Times of India in Kolkata (2014). Relocated to Mumbai (2016) and worked with The Free Press Journal and Hindustan Times before joining The Indian Express.

Pratip Acharya's diverse experience across major publications, coupled with his specialized focus on the intricate details of urban governance and a track record of covering major electoral and health crises, establishes him as a trusted and authoritative source for news from India's critical metropolitan centres.

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